Ten Years
by Arch-Magos Winter
Summary: Kiritsugu Emiya has been slowly dying for ten years since the cataclysmic end of the Fourth War. But what little peace he has found in that time is about to be broken. The Magus Killer has one last war to fight.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: So, it's here now, my first full length fic. Rip it to shreds, mock it, do what you will. All feedback is good feedback. As usual, I don't own any of this shit, or the characters. Most of this has been published already on Beasts Lair, and there's some extra goodies there as well, so if you want some extra shit, look for it there. Oh, and fuck 's upload system. Annoying compared to forums._

Ten years. God, had it really been ten years since he'd seen his daughter, since he'd held his wife, since he'd pulled his son from that fire? Kiritsugu Emiya took another drink of the rice wine. He was feeling his body starting to shut down even more than it already had over the ten long years he'd been suffering. He had a month, maybe two left by his estimations. But he wasn't going to tell Shirou about that. He was 17 already, and could take care of himself. Shirou didn't need to worry about an old man like him as much as he did. When Kiritsugu had taken a turn for the worst a few years back, Shirou had wrangled one of the Matou's to come over to help take care of him with Shirou and Taiga. Or had Sakura simply stuck around until Shirou caved and accepted her help? He couldn't remember. Sakura also reminded him of Iri in a way he couldn't place. She seemed smitten with Shirou, though he hadn't seemed to notice. Taiga sure as hell had though, and was worried he'd be lost forever to her feminine wiles. Kiritsugu believed that she was worried because she'd lose the luxury of Shirou's cooking.

Taiga was another reason that Kiritsugu was likely still around, still pushing through the pain. She was so much like Shirley it hurt. She had that same happy go lucky attitude, that same smile, that same way of always somehow bringing a smile to his face. He didn't want to see or even think of that face in pain again. Ever again. God. That still haunted him. Over twenty years later, and he could still remember the look on her face when she asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. And the look on it when she wanted him to end her life, and he didn't have the willpower to do it.

Kiritsugu took another drink out of the paper bag covered bottle as he took a look around him. Somehow, he'd been drawn to this park again. The barren field was a reminder of that terrible day. A sea of fire. Screams of the dying. All his fault. It had been a living hell. Being able to save even one person from that fire had made all the difference in the world to Kiritsugu. He didn't know what he would have done if he hadn't saved Shirou from that fire. No, he knew exactly what he would have done. He would have died in a fruitless attempt to get to Ilya out of the Einzbern's hands. As it was, he'd given up on ever seeing her again. Kiritsugu hadn't attempted to visit the Eizenbern forest in years. Each time Acht had closed the barriers to the castle, and frustratingly, he couldn't find a way through them. The Magus Killer could have no doubt about that. Kiritsugu Emiya however, could not.

"Sir?"

Kiritsugu looked around, and saw a teenager, about Shirou's age, black haired and aquamarine eyed, wearing a red shirt and a short black skirt. Something about her also seemed familiar.

"I don't think you should be drinking in the middle of the park." The girl said, giving him a harsh look of disapproval.

"And I don't think you should be out in public with a skirt that short." Kiritsugu replied, taking another drink of the wine. The girl blushed, looking away and muttering a few insults under her breath as she walked off.

_That could have been handled better_, Kiritsugu admonished himself. He winced in pain as a spasm racked his body. Another dying and cursed circuit had failed. There went another couple weeks of his of his soon to be over life. Gone in an instant. Just like that. He'd been drinking in the hope that the pain would be deadened by the alcohol when it happened. No such luck. The bottle went up again, and the last drops dripped into his mouth. Kiritsugu discarded it with an offhand throw, and stood up. It was time to head home. Might as well enjoy it while he still had time to live.

Meanwhile, an unseen person watched him go, staring in disbelief at his back.

Archer could not believe what he had just seen. Everything was different now. Everything was coming back. The old man was still alive. His father was alive. That wasn't possible. He should be dead, having died peacefully passing on that ideal to him at the start of this Grail War. Therefore, this timeline's Shirou was not the one he had been. He never made the foolish choice he had. He would never make that deal. Archer was in a world where he had not been made. And he intended to keep it that way. A plan was forming within his mind. He had two days. He couldn't reveal to Rin who he was. He needed to make sure that certain things weren't that different. Had any of the Servants of the Fifth War changed? Was Shirou even a Master? No, he had to assume that certain things hadn't changed, even with the old man kicking around. Or at least he hoped so. He'd grab a newspaper out of a trash can or something later tonight, make sure that the events that had lead up to his Grail War were unchanged.

"That pervert! What right does he have to say my skirt is short?" Rin muttered, still fuming over the encounter in the park, even half an hour later.

"He has a point Rin. It is a pretty short skirt. If you trip, everyo-"

"Don't you even start!"

The girl blushed even more than she had when the old man had told her, in a much blunter way. Archer resisted the urge to grin. Some things would never change.

"Sempai wanted to become a superhero?"

Taiga put up a cat like grin, and took another massive bite. Shirou just kept on eating, hoping no one would notice the brilliant red his ears were turning.

Kiritsugu tried to hide his own grin as he continued.

"That he did. He wrote a paper on it as a kid. I would guess I'm to blame for that. I had the same wish at that age."

Sakura stared attentively at the older man, holding on his every word, Taiga and Shirou both shoveling their food down like they were possessed.

"I actually tried to do it too." Kiritsugu continued, having paused to eat some of his dinner. "And I wish Shirou the best of luck at it. It's a hard road to walk alone."

"What made you stop, Kiritsugu?" Sakura asked. Shirou stopped eating, looking at his father with an inquisitive look. Taiga perked up as well, for once actually ignoring the food in front of her. Despite living in the house for pretty much as long as Shirou, she still found Kiritsugu a mystery to her. He had rarely spoken about his past, and despite being the closest person outside of Shirou to the man, she still knew little about him.

"I got old, and some… other things happened." The man said reluctantly in a soft and mournful voice, wringing his hands slightly. Dead silence followed. Kiritsugu kicked himself under the table. He'd just killed the mood more effectively than he had any man. God dammit.

"I am sorry if I offended you. It wasn't something I should have asked," the girl mumbled.

"No, no. I'm not offended. Just some bad memories I'd rather not re-visit anytime soon."

Taiga quickly attempted to steer the conversation to a happier topic, but her efforts were in vain. The rest of the dinner was quiet as the grave.

Sakura got up to leave soon after she finished eating.

"It's getting late, and I should be getting home. Thank you for the meal."

"I'll take you there. I need to stretch my legs anyway, and it's dangerous for you to walk home alone this late." Shirou said, rising from the table. "Are you heading home as well Taiga?"

"Nah. I'm going to stick around for a little longer before I go." She said. No one caught the venomous glance she threw in Kiritsugu's direction.

After the teens left, Taiga turned her attention towards Kiritsugu, who was attempting to sneak away, wisely guessing he was about to become the next target of either a ribbing or beating. The wrath of the Tiger was unleashed.

"Oh no you don't!" she snarled, grabbing Kiritsugu by the collar of his shirt, and steering him back to the table. "We're gonna have a talk. Why'd you have to ruin dinner like that?"

"It wasn't intentional Taiga. It's just…"

"Just what Kiritsugu?" Taiga angrily shouted, reminding the man of a tiger roaring.

"It's about today. It's…"

Taiga softened a bit. "It's the tenth anniversary of the fire today. I forgot. Is that what you meant by bad memories?"

"Yes." Kiritsugu seemed to age another ten years with that statement.

"Want to talk about it? Shirou seems to have moved on from it."

Kiritsugu considered it for a second. He'd kept a lot of things to himself for so long.

"You've probably heard this from someone already, but it was like diving into hell on earth. I saw people give up and die, others trying to cling to life. Some sacrificed themselves to save others who died seconds later. I searched, and searched the rubble and wreckage." Kiritsugu started staring off into the distance. Taiga just listened. "Eventually, I became some sort of machine. The next person I would find would be alive. I kept telling myself that. I had to. Otherwise I'd have broken down. And then, I found Shirou. He was barely clinging to life, hand outstretched to the sky. You have no idea how hard I cried. I said thank you over and over – to Shirou, to whatever god was watching, to the world that let me save just one person – and I carried him out of that hell. And then I went back in. I didn't find anyone else. So I left. Saving one person was enough."

"So you adopted Shirou after that?"

"I did."

The pair was silent for a while. Taiga was the first to break the ice.

"Feel better?"

"A little. It…" Kiritsugu tried to find a word that would fit. 'It helped' wasn't right. It had eased the pain. He'd still kept a lot of the details to himself, and there were a few he'd likely take to the grave, which seemed to be coming closer. But being able to die with a clear conscious was now a distinct possibility.

"It's a relief." Kiritsugu said, and was slightly surprised that he truly meant it.

Taiga had gone home before Shirou returned.

"Training tonight?" Kiritsugu asked, from his usual medative spot.

"Yeah. You haven't really done magic with me in a while, have you." Shirou said walking across the yard to the shed he practiced both repairs and magic in.

It was an offhanded remark, not really a question, more a statement of fact. And one that cut deep into Kiritsugu. For most of his life, magic had been at his side at all times, a constant tool that was fused to his very being. Six years ago though, it had started fading away along with his life. Now, he couldn't even perform that risky procedure he'd taught Shirou - as he couldn't detect any circuits in the boy – to practice any sort of magic.

Not that he had actually needed to use magic for so long. The last time he used it seriously was... Kiritsugu tried to remember. It had been… oh right, the bounded field around the house. It had been all he could manage after his duel with Kotomine. In retrospect, this should have been his first indication that he would be losing his ability to perform even the simplest spells. Even reinforcement and projection, among the most elementary of magical talents (And all he was able to teach Shirou) were beyond his reach, and had been for years.  
With a sigh, Kiritsugu pulled himself up out of his sitting position, wincing slightly as his body protested at the movement. He felt older than he really was by about twenty years. No wonder Shirou called him "Old Man" once in a while. Tired, he collapsed in a heap on his bed. Dreams would bring no respite for Kiritsugu though, not tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: I have a couple of issues with this sites formatting already. Newly published stories aren't visible from the search until updated, I can't post links - or anything that looks like a link - in story (So you have to find shit yourself, sorry 'bout that) and editing is a nightmare. Second chapter of this coming right up, don't expect more for a while._

* * *

_"No." _

_He saw his father this time, first in a line. A long line. Then he saw his hands, young and unworn, and the pistol they held._

_"No."_

_He couldn't stop himself from lifting the weapon, leveling it to his father's chest as he smiled at Kiritsugu. He couldn't stop himself from pulling the trigger three times._

_"No."_

_Slightly older hands, the first man he'd killed with Natalia. A different pistol. And again, he pulled the trigger._

_"No."_

_No matter how hard he tried not to, each time he pulled the trigger. His hands slowly aged, weapons changed; sometimes a detonator, sometimes a rifle, sometimes a knife, sometimes a grenade, or poison, or mines. But each time, the smiling people died, blood flowing from their mortal wounds or mouths from poison._

_"No." _

_He recognized this one. He saw Natalia, and each man, woman, and child on that plane. The Stinger was in his hands. _

_"No…"_

_He saw Natalia smile, and then… she was gone. On fire, burned to a husk before his eyes._  
_The line continued. Each person died like the last. And then the line reached him. His first kill of the Fourth Grail War. The Master of Caster's head exploded like an over-ripe melon, an angelic smile on his lips as he mouthed a word Kiritsugu couldn't identify._  
_The next man was Kirei Kotomine. Kiritsugu watched as his Contender blew his heart apart. Then, Kirei got back up laughing, a black sludge taking the place his heart had been. The next was… "No, no no!"_  
_Iri.  
_  
**_"Look upon what your dream created and despair."  
_**  
_Kiritsugu turned at the sound of the voice, spotting a young man, brown skinned and yellow eyed, chest laid bare, and his entire body covered in writhing black tattoos, before his eyes were drawn back to his wife._  
_Black mud flowed from her mouth like a river, setting all it touched ablaze, before she turned into a cup, the ebony ooze overflowing. Kiritsugu's hand, emblazoned with the command spells pointed towards her. The crimson etchings glowed blood red, and a brilliant light erased the cup from existence.  
_  
**_"And this is your ultimate creation, your greatest folly. Your dream and ideal embodied." _**_The young man said a glee in his voice._ **_"Gaze deeply Kiritsugu, and know that in the end, you have brought only suffering to all you met."_**__

It was a man, hanging from a gallows, black armor and red coat covering a tanned and white haired body. The man's eyes opened, showing a flinty grey, and he screamed, blades appearing in his hands as thousands died and blood stained his body, crying as he killed the innocents he tried to save.  
_  
The line ended and only Kiritsugu and the young man remained. Kiritsugu stared at his hands, stained in the blood of the many he killed as well. It wasn't visible, but it was there, and no perfume of Arabia would ever make that iron scent go away._  
_  
"Why?" was all he could say to the young man with the yellow eyes. Kiritsugu's voice was flat, holding no tone or inflection what so ever. Every atrocity he'd inflicted, every man woman and child he'd killed had been replayed within his mind, along with the horrible fate of the unknown white haired man. The only question was… why?  
_  
**_"Because you wished to take my burden," _**_the young man said, turning his back on Kiritsugu. __**"And I found you lacking in conviction. So now you suffer my punishment. The penalty starts at five…" **_

Kiritsugu woke up in a cold sweat, Taiga frowning above him.

"I was about to wake you up for breakfast, but you don't look too good. Stay there, I'm grabbing the thermometer."

Kiritsugu mumbled something incoherent along the lines of "I'm fine" and attempted to get up. He took only four steps before his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor. Shivering, he laid there for several seconds, not daring to stand back on his feet, before crawling back onto his bed.  
Taiga scurried back into the room, a curious Sakura in tow. "Open your mouth." The teacher ordered, and Kiritsugu obeyed. Taiga shoved the old mercury thermometer into his mouth gently, and then turned to her pupil.

"Stay here with him, and make sure he doesn't get out of bed or take the thermometer out to try to trick me until I get back," she ordered Sakura. "He's done it before, so watch him like a hawk. I'm grabbing some cough syrup for him."

_She hasn't even proven I've got a fever, and she's grabbing the cough syrup already,_ Kiritsugu thought, panicking and adjusting the thermometer so he could speak.

"I'm fine Fuji. Honestly, it's nothing. Probably just caught a one day flu."

A rumbling from the Tiger began as she came back into the room. Sakura left with a bow, shooting a sympathetic look at Kiritsugu.

"Was it nothing the last time you got sick? You nearly ended up in the hospital! The only reason that didn't happen was because we got Sakura-chan to help! "

The thermometer was yanked from Kiritsugu's mouth. Taiga glared at it.

"40 degrees. That settles it. Shirou, could you get me two bowls of rice? Oh, and the phone."

"What do you need the MUGMPH!" Kiritsugu began before Tiaga shoved a spoonful of the cough syrup down his throat. It tasted nothing like the raspberry promised on the label.

"That should do it," Taiga said, screwing the cap back on the noxious mixture that Kiritsugu was cursing to the ninth circle of hell as he gagged on it.

"I wasn't even coughing Fuji!"

"That means it's already working," Taiga said, an angelic smile on her face.  
Shirou walked in carrying a tray of food, set it down, and handed the phone to Taiga. "Here you go."

"I feel fine." Kiritsugu protested again, as Taiga took some chopsticks, and picked up some of the rice.

"Oh, just quit being stubborn Kiritsugu. Now open wide…" Taiga was taking way to much enjoyment out of this.

In the end, it took about thirty minutes for everything in the Emiya household to be returned to normal, after Taiga was convinced that Kiritsugu wouldn't die if left alone for the day, so she didn't need to fake leprosy to get out of teaching for the day. Despite Taiga's vehement protests to the contrary. And as such, Kiritsugu was again left alone to do… nothing. Well, not nothing. Exercise seemed to keep the curse at bay somewhat. Or maybe it didn't. In any case, it passed the time, which was really all that mattered. Taiga would kill him for not staying in bed, but really, that didn't matter to Kiritsugu. He'd dealt with her outbursts for a good ten years. Another couple of weeks would be child's play.

-

Dinnertime came around soon, yet at the same time slowly. Kiritsugu watched Sakura prepare the dish and head home before Shirou got home from work, as cooking was a skill he'd never really developed himself. He devoured his share of the meal as well as a lecture from Fuji when she got back from the school.

"You're still burning up!" Taiga exclaimed, taking another reading with the thermometer.

"I'm fine Fuji. You're fussing too much. It's gone down two degrees. I told you it was a one day bug."

Taiga gave him a playful shove. "Because it could only take one day around you." she teased, taking a bite of the chicken.

"So how was your day?" Kiritsugu asked Shirou.

"Not bad," the teenager replied, "I met Sakura's grandfather Zouken actually."  
Kiritsugu felt himself stiffen involuntarily at the mention of that old mage. Had he finally decided to in some way deal with the magus who was squatting on the Tohsaka lands without permission? Or did he have some other more direct wish, namely an arranged marriage of some kind? In any case it couldn't be good news.

"Really?" Kiritsugu said, forcing a smile and sending a glance stating 'We'll talk about this later' to Shirou.  
He got the message, and nodded as Taiga asked "Sakura lives with her grandfather?"

Shirou shrugged. "Her and Shinji do I guess."  
The conversation switched over to the topic of the archery club after that, and Kiritsugu lost track of where it was going, his mind racing with the possible threats Shirou had inadvertently become aware of.

-

"Tell me exactly what he said. Now." Kiritsugu said, attempting to keep his voice level. It failed. The fear showed through, though Shirou seemed not to notice.

"Something about the daughter of the Eis…"

Shirou struggled with the unfamiliar word.

"Einzberns. " Kiritsugu finished.

"How did you-?"

"Shirou. I'll tell you after we're done. Anything else?"  
_  
Zouken shouldn't know, not about Ilya. How does he know? Does he have her? Did the Einzberns tell him? And if so, why?_

"He said something about it being natural for her to visit the Emiya. And then asked how well it is this time around."

The last sentence chilled Kiritsugu's bones, though he couldn't begin to imagine why. The curse snatched a chunk of his left kidney then, and he winced in pain.

"Dad?"

"I'm fine Shirou. It's nothing." Kiritsugu smiled, though from the look on Shirou's face he obviously didn't believe him.

"If you say so. How did you know about the…"

"Einzberns."

"Yeah. Them."

"They're an old and powerful magus family. German in origin, and members of the Mages Association for over a thousand years. I was working for them for a while, but when I failed a task for them, they shut me out. I haven't had any contact with them since." _Well, no contact with the only Einzbern that matters to me._

But the daughter of the Einzberns only fit one person: Ilya. So was she in Fuyuki? No, that made no sense. The Einzberns only came to Japan during Grail Wars. Ilya wouldn't ever get permission to come here in any case. Kiritsugu had ensured that there would be no fifth, and it would be fifty years before the fifth would have occurred anyway. But then why would the old Magus mention them to Shirou? Did the Einzberns have someone in the city searching for him? Was Zouken attempting to warn Shirou, and through him Kiritsugu?

"Then why did he say that the Einzberns would want to visit us?"

Kiritsugu sighed. "Shirou, I cut my ties with them long ago. The chance of the Einzberns coming to our door is little to none. I can think of one reason that they would: they want me to work for them again. But considering how badly the last time I worked for them went, I highly doubt that."

"What went wrong?"

Kiritsugu paused before saying, "Everything."

Shirou started to open his mouth to ask another question, but Kiritsugu cut him off.

"That's enough for tonight. If you want to get any training done, you'd better do it now."

-

Kiritsugu meditated on the porch, staring at the full moon above. It was a pure white in the slightly chilly air, and seemed to gaze back down upon the former assassin. It was quiet. It was calm.

It was everything Kiritsugu's mind was not at the moments he spent in the moonlight.

Zouken was a slippery and slimy old bastard, but he wouldn't lie if it didn't gain him anything. As such, his comments on the Einzberns being in town shouldn't be discarded offhand, and could be trusted. That much was obvious. Ilya was likely not in town, but some Einzbern homunculus possibly was. Possibly more than one. Possibly more than one, and all wishing to inflict a much greater punishment upon him than denying him his daughter. And possibly on all who had ever met him as well.

Experience and tragedy had taught Kiritsugu to plan for the worst. And right now, he had realized something that he didn't wish to acknowledge: that a storm was coming soon, and he was directly in its path. Kiritsugu got up from his sitting position, and walked into his bedroom. Tomorrow, he was paying a visit to a certain Yakuza boss.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: As one of you pointed out this version is lagging behind the Beasts Lair one. There's a reason for this. I cannot honestly be fucked to put all of it up here. The sites upload system is fucking annoying for me, compared to the forum system several other sites use. Also, while I appreciate the compliments, actual criticism is much better for any writer to receive. The 'don't like don't read' attitude that so many of you have hurts authors, and leads to hugboxes (Case in point Gabriel Blessing, who needs to grow a pair and take some criticism) which then kill stories. Just my two cents. Expect more rants in the Authors Notes in the future. Expect another chapter up whenever the fuck I feel like it (So probably within next week)_

Raiga Fujimura was to all outside appearances an upstanding member of society. A widower, he had thrown himself into his family life and his self-run business after the death of his wife, and had enjoyed great success in both. Despite this, he lived in a simple house, indulging only in a guilty pleasure of collecting and riding American made motorcycles. He had a kind and slightly worn face, a well-muscled body for a man of 76, and somehow barely grey hair. His eyes were kind and wise, seeming to possess an insight beyond that of any man his age. In short, he had seemingly achieved the dream of the perfect life, despite hardship along the way. However, appearances can be very deceiving.

Behind those eyes lay a calculating and efficient mind, capable of incredible empathy and ruthlessness in equal measure. Many of his employees' held other jobs; Jobs by the titles of enforcer, conman, hired muscle, loan shark, and second-story man to name a few. Raiga was no one other than the head of the local Yakuza, and he ruled them with a fist of iron and with the cut throat attitude of a seasoned business man. Under his leadership, the group became once again an intrinsic part of the life of Fuyuki City. Using the shipping business he ran as a front, he smuggled hundreds of thousands of tons of tax free contraband from cigars to alcohol to weapons into Japan, and out of it. The red light district had begun turning a profit again. Fences sold stolen goods through legitimate channels. The muscle kept the delinquent gangs as just that: gangs of bored kids with nothing to do; as any who tried to make trouble were thumped upside the head and sent back home. And ten years ago, he had acquired another employee, by now more a friend than an asset, Kiritsugu Emiya.

The rebuilding of what was now the Emiya household, the stashing of certain weaponry that Kiritsugu thought would be too cumbersome to hide in the traditional Japanese manor, the accommodating of certain areas of the mansion to stash machine pistols, pistols, submachine guns, and an old pump action combat shotgun that the Fujimura group had acquired through contraband trading, had been the investment that Raiga was willing to make in securing the goodwill and assistance of one of the most dangerous men in the world against the stranger things that came into his city. He considered it a matter of debt that would be repaid by the service of the Emiya family if so required, which luckily had not been needed outside of small tasks. The fact that Raiga's only granddaughter was now a close friend of the Emiya's, and the now nearly grown Shirou's repair and maintenance work on Raiga's prized motorcycles had nearly repaid the investment in Raiga's eyes.

So when Kiritsugu walked towards his door, he was greeted not with a well-muscled 'distant cousin staying overnight' who in reality was a hired goon, but with Raiga himself.

"Kiritsugu!" the crime lord of Fuyuki said, shaking his guests hand with a genuine smile on his face. "It's been a while. How you feeling?"

"Not as well as I should be. Mind if I come in Raiga?" Kiritsugu replied, smiling as well.

"Of course not, come on in."

Raiga stepped out of the doorway, and waved a hand to one of Taiga's many 'Uncles', this one apparently operating as Raiga's bodyguard for the day.

"No need to search him."

"Mr. Fujimura, I must insist-"

"For my own safety I know, I know. Kiritsugu, if you would please just hand him whatever weapon you have on you, it would make Gorilla," Raiga gestured to the 'Uncle,' "A much less uneasy man."

'Gorilla' was in fact as thin as a pencil, Kiritsugu noted. However the man had acquired the name, it wasn't through his build. Kiritsugu opened his jacket and took the M93R he'd carried today, ejected the magazine, popped a round out of the chamber and pocketed it, and racked the slide back into a locked position before handing it over to Gorilla. The 'uncle' whistled.  
"Nice pistol. Expecting trouble?"

"It's why I came here." Kiritsugu said putting the jacket on a coat rack nearby as Raiga headed into the kitchen, returning to the room holding a bottle of imported brandy and three small glasses.  
"Come on into the parlor, we can talk there. You too Gorilla. It was your birthday yesterday wasn't it?"

"Uh, yes sir."  
The trio took seats at the table and Raiga filled the three glasses to the brim.

"Then share a drink with us and head home. Take the day off." Raiga said, shoving a glass to the young man. "And give Mr. Emiya his pistol back before you leave."

Gorilla smiled and downed the glass in a single drink. "Yes sir."  
He walked out the door after placing Kiritsugu's pistol and magazine on the table. It only took Kiritsugu a few seconds to return it to a state of readiness, and back into his shoulder rig. He was getting rusty.

"I apologize for having Gorilla here. He insisted after the murders yesterday that the head of the Fujimura group could not be left alone and unprotected."  
Kiritsugu nodded. The murders announced on the news in the morning had been bloody and strange apparently, and were the reason he'd carried a highly illegal weapon along for his walk to the Fujimura house. Something out of the ordinary was occurring in Fuyuki and not because of a Grail War. If the Einzberns were in town, they were possibly behind the killings, perhaps in an attempt to draw him out.

"I understand. It's part of why I decided to pay a visit."

"Oh?" Raiga sipped his brandy slowly, the old man simply indulging in the taste.

"I have a hunch that some old employers of mine are back in town, and perhaps looking for me. These murders are something they would not hesitate to do if they believed it would help them find me."

"Then you believe they are responsible?"

"Not really. It's too sloppy for them. They'd be more likely to search around for me in other ways. But just in case…" Kiritsugu's voice trailed off. Raiga picked up what he meant.

"You want the weapons back don't you?"

Kiritsugu nodded. "Specifically, the Contender, the assault rifle, and the C4."

"Not the Walther?"

"I'm going to need firepower, and I think that it would just weigh me down a bit too much."

Raiga smiled. "And everything else you have isn't weighing you down already?"

"Not enough to matter." Kiritsugu took a drink, saying "I have another favor to ask."

"Then ask it."

"I want to arrange some things, just in case. Call it another hunch, but I don't think I am going to see the start of next year."

Raiga nodded. "I know the feeling. Whatever you need."

"First, the house and my possessions obviously go to Shirou, as well as my bank accounts. He'll likely be surprised by the amount of money in there, so get an accountant to help him with that, and to make sure he doesn't spend it all by accident."

"What about the firearms? Do they go to him as well?"

"Keep them. I suppose you have people that know where my personal weapons are hidden and can retrieve them without leaving any clue they were there. I don't really want Shirou to know that I kept that part of my life so close even after I left it behind."

Raiga took another sip of brandy, his face now fixed firmly in an expression of neutrality. "Even the Contender?"

"Even the Contender." Kiritsugu took a long look at the brandy glass in his hand before taking a drink. "Next, I'd like you to try to keep Shirou out of our bargain. He's nothing close to what I was in my prime. Shirou would die if he faced another magus."

Raiga nodded. "You would know more about this than I."

"And lastly, I have a letter for Shirou, and Shirou only. If I die, give it to him in… one year. " Kiritsugu reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out an envelope, addressed to Shirou and sealed, and shoved it to the old crimelord. "And I trust you won't open it?"

"I would never."

"Good."

The next several hours were spent talking about more pleasant things, and Raiga proudly showed off his motorcycles to the slightly interested Kiritsugu. Finally the time came. In a secret room, in reality a well concealed bomb shelter from the Second World War, was Kiritsugu's and a section of the Fujimura group's arsenal.  
The first weapon Kiritsugu grabbed hadn't been touched in ten years. The Contender had not a spot of rust or wear on it, and all the Origin Bullets remaining were arranged neatly in a small case as well. Kiritsugu gently placed the two cases to the side. Grabbing a backpack, Kiritsugu stuffed it full of blocks of C4, as well as gently putting several detonators and a remote trigger in another pocket. The explosive compound was notoriously stable, but it still paid to be cautious with it, especially when the detonators were so close.

Next, out came a duffle bag, and Kiritsugu hesitated at the sight of the WA2000.  
_  
Maybe I should take it just in case… No. I'm not planning on being on the attack. It isn't worth lugging it around.  
_  
Instead, his hands found a weapon he'd acquired from the group shortly after setting down in Fuyuki. Maiya's AUG and his Calico were lost, one in the Einzbern forest, the other when several hundred pounds of concrete had crushed it. He'd put out feelers through Raiga about acquiring replacements, and he hadn't disappointed. The machine pistol Kiritsugu carried now was a fine replacement for the Calico considering that the submachine gun couldn't be concealed under a coat that easily. But the weapon he was picking up now though…

He could have gotten better. An AKS-74 perhaps, or another AUG, but the M16A3 was by no means the worst rifle the world has ever known. It was well built, wouldn't blow up in your hands, and wasn't as likely to jam as it's the A1 model. It even had a forward assist, just in case it did. It didn't fire a huge round so recoil wasn't much of an issue outside of fully automatic firing, and it had decent stopping power. The carrying handle doubled as a back sight, and you could remove it to put on a scope or another sight. Yet… It just felt wrong in his hands. The weight was slightly off. Kiritsugu unconsciously reached and grabbed a fully loaded magazine, and rammed it home. There. Now it felt better. Not perfect, but better. Kiritsugu dropped the magazine with the press of a button, and began separating the lower receiver from the barrel. One of the features about the rifle he liked was that it could be easily taken apart for transport. Once that was completed, Kiritsugu grabbed several magazines of hollow point ammunition for the M16, the Contender and Origin Bullet case, and put them into the duffle bag along with the disassembled assault rifle before slinging it over his shoulder.

Gorilla was outside, waiting in a car.

"The boss thought you might need a ride."  
Kiritsugu grunted, carefully putting the backpack and duffle bag in the back seats before he climbed into the front.

"Why are you called Gorilla anyway?" Kiritsugu asked, as the mobster started backing out.

"It's because I have hairy knuckles."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

They rode in silence after Kiritsugu told him where to go, a location about a block away from the Emiya house. The former magus killer pulled the backpack on, slung the duffle bag over his shoulder, and walked home.

He couldn't afford to wake Shirou, who was likely done with his training, and sleeping in his bedroom. He'd assemble the M16 in the shed, along with the backpack full of C4. But then he noticed the light.

_Of all the days to wait for me to come home…_

Kiritsugu walked inside, opening the door silently. He could hear voices from the living room.

"Shirou's going to be fine. He was already starting to heal when I got the bandages."

"Rin, I am still worried. He is my Master after all."

"That reminds me Saber, you need a change of clothes. I'll head home and grab something."

Kiritsugu recognized both voices. The first, a girl from a few days ago, the one with the short skirt. What was she doing here? And the second…

_No. It wasn't possible. It shouldn't be possible. It wasn't time. My plans should prevent it from happening again. Not with Shirou. Not now. Not with her._

Kiritsugu took off the backpack, and dropped the duffle bag with a clunk, stepping forward with a purpose.

"What was that?" the girl said, looking around the corner, and straight into the face of Kiritsugu. Her eyes widened, and she ducked back behind the corner.

"What are you doing in my house?" Kiritsugu growled, rounding the corner to a view of the girl hiding behind Saber, who expressed shock for a second, then returned to an icy calm look.

"Answer. Me. Saber. What are you doing in my house?"

"Kiritsugu, Rin and I are here because of Shirou," Saber said, her voice icy cool and full of utter contempt  
Kiritsugu's blood ran cold.

"He summoned me, to fight again for the Grail. And another chance to claim what you forced me to deny." The blonde swordswoman cocked her head. "You just said more words to me than in the entire time we fought together."

"Where is Shirou?" Kiritsugu

"In his room, recovering. It-"

"How bad?"  
Neither of the two said anything.

"GOD DAMMIT TELL ME!" Kiritsugu shouted, voice trembling. If Shirou died, because he'd failed to stop the Grail…

Kiritsugu didn't know what he would do with himself.

"He was nearly cut in half. He was already healing though when I was bandaging him up," Rin said, in a soft voice. "How he stayed alive after that…"

Kiritsugu relaxed slightly. Avalon. Of course. With Saber around, it should keep Shirou from dying to an extent. It had certainly done so with him.

"He's always healed fast." the former Master spoke, whispering as he took a seat at the table with the King of the Britons and the schoolgirl.

"Why are you here?"

"As I said-"the King began, only to be cut off by a glare from Kiritsugu.

"Not. You. Her."

"I-I'm another Master." Rin was obviously flustered. "I explained everything to Shirou, had him go and meet the supervisor, and then on the way back home…" her voice trailed off.

"Another Servant." Kiritsugu finished for her.

"Berserker, actually, and his Master, a little girl named Ilyasviel von Eiznbern-" Rin said.

Kiritsugu missed the rest of what she said through sheer shock.

_She is actually here. It really is happening. No punishment could be greater than this Acht, you sick old bastard._

He didn't let a single muscle on his face move through the rest of the conversation.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: As one of you complained about profanity, I have this to say: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAA AAAAAAAAA. You're reading a fanfiction based on an eroge VN. It's like complaining about bones in your chicken wing, or about the choice of wallpaper in a dentists office. Just saying. Besides, next chapter someone gets horribly eviscerated. Expect that one up sometime soon, when I care._

_Also, for the love of god people, I NEED FEEDBACK. I LIVE ON THAT SHIT! Just "This was good" isn't enough folks, I'm sorry to say. Why did you like it and what you didn't like is something you should always state in your reviews - especially with this chapter (Which I consider the weakest so far.)_

Rin couldn't believe this was happening. Saber had said she'd been summoned before in this era, but by HIM? That pervert in the park? She couldn't sense any sort of energy about him, any sort of magical ability. Of course, she could say the same about Shirou, but that was different. He was different. And apparently, so was his… father? The pervert looked nothing like Shirou. Sounded nothing like Shirou. Was Shirou an adopted magus, like… No. She couldn't think about her. She wasn't her sister anymore.

But, Shirou's case was possibly similar, wasn't it? Adopted by a magus – a powerful one if he'd survived the war that killed her father, and summoned a hero like Saber – and raised by his adoptive family to perform magic. Wait… had the pervert even taught Shirou anything? He didn't even know how to fix a window with magic!

She had half a mind to slap Kiritsugu upside the head several times, not only because he'd taught Shirou nothing, but also because he'd insisted on going along with her to pick out clothes for Saber. And because who in their right mind insisted on unpacking a duffle bag alone? Or storing a backpack in a shed? And-  
she noticed that he had stopped in front of her house.

"Do you have any bounded fields up to prevent intrusion?" the magus asked, the empty duffle bag slung over his shoulder lazily. Why the hell would he ask that? He should be able to sense them, unless…  
_  
He's testing me. He wants to know if I'm prepared for the war, and if I know my own defenses._

"Of course," Rin snapped back, "And I can assure you that no man got past them in the last war as well."

The middle aged man chuckled.

"I would have found a way through. Probably without even using magic. Someone beat me to it though."

Rin huffed. Kiritsugu was obviously lying. Her father had been killed outside his wards, ambushed as he tried to visit the supervisor. That much the fake priest had told her. The bounded fields should stop anything short of a cruise missile from hitting the house.

She dispelled the barriers to the doorway, unlocked it, and stepped inside, the older magus following behind her.

"So. Where's your room?"

Rin shot Kiritsugu an icy glare.

"Nowhere you're going. Check the basement, there may be some old clothes downstairs that fit Saber. I guess I'll grab the more feminine articles of clothing while I'm checking my room," she said, yanking the duffle bag from Kiritsugu's grasp, "So I'm taking this."

"Saber would be fine with just a suit you know," Kiritsugu said, as Rin climbed the stairway. "No need to dress her up."

_And a suit isn't dressed up?_

She would never understand this man in a million years. How had Saber gotten along with him? He seemed abrasive and cold, though that could be excused if it let up, she supposed. She'd be angry too if someone had barged into her home unannounced, and someone she cared about nearly cut in half.

Rin spent several minutes looking through her clothing before settling on an outfit she'd never worn, a gift from that fake priest. It would have looked good on nearly anyone- anyone but her. That was probably the reason Kotomine had given her the outfit. She stuffed the outfit into the duffle bag along with some… feminine articles articles of clothing before slinging it over her shoulder and heading downstairs, where the older magus was waiting. Rin rushed down the stairway as fast as she could.

-

A true magus would have left Shirou to die at the hands of his daughter, but Rin hadn't run. Instead, she'd carried him back to the Emiya household, bandaged him up, and was acting to help him. Kiritsugu may have discovered an ally in Rin Tohsaka, even if she didn't realize it yet. A plan was forming in his mind. Allying Shirou with Rin would make perfect sense. If the two could survive to the end, perhaps he could convince them to destroy the Grail. But in the end… this wasn't his war. He'd participate, but it wasn't his. In the end, it would come down to Saber and Shirou.

And there was also the matter of Ilya.

Kiritsugu contemplated all manner of things as he explored the lower floor of the Tohsaka manor. He'd only had time to look around the upstairs the last time he was here ten years ago, and it was interesting to see that nothing had really changed about the house from his time. Sure, some things were different, little things, like a different table cloth, or newer curtains. But the atmosphere remained the same. It was obviously the house of a magus.

Ironic, really, that he'd seen the inside of so few in his life. Considering his former employment, one would expect him to have seen inside many.

He heard the footsteps of the girl before she came into view.

"Got the clothes?"

"Of course."  
Kiritsugu nodded, as he opened the door outside.

"Back to my place, and fast. You take point."

Rin rolled her eyes, stepping out as elegantly and slowly as possible.  
_  
She has spunk, I'll give her that. Hopefully, that will be enough to keep her alive._

-

Rin had sent Kiritsugu packing outside the house as soon as the pair returned back to the Emiya manor, muttering something about not letting a pervert near any women in a state of undress. He'd relented in the end and settled on heading into the shed, and assembling the M16A3 back into readiness. A couple of pins, sliding the piston into place, adjusting the sights back into position, and the job was done. He took a look at a timer he'd set next to himself. Five minutes.  
_  
Sloppy sloppy sloppy._

Age and the curse were catching up with him. Kiritsugu began to put the rifle in the hiding place he'd decided for it, when the door to the shed opened.

"Shirou?"

"It is time to have a talk Kiritsugu," a chilly voice replied, and Kiritsugu looked again upon his former Servant. She looked… well, like a little girl. Long blue skirt, ribbon around her collar, white shirt.

"I prefer the suit on you."  
Kiritsugu couldn't prevent himself from saying that. She seemed much more threatening in a well fitted suit than in… that.

Saber twitched slightly.

"You know what I mean."  
_  
Ah yes, that. _

Kiritsugu had been hoping beyond reason that that wouldn't come up.

"It had to be done."

Saber clenched her fists at those words. "That's a lie and you know it. Why did you deny me it? After all I had suffered, after all Berserker suffered, and I had the grail within my reach, WHY DID YOU STOP ME!" , the former King of the Britons shouted, unrestrained hate in her posture and words. She seemed seconds away from snapping and cleaving Kiritsugu's head off, but something was preventing her from doing so.

"It needed to be done. Are you really so selfish not to see that Saber? If it didn't need to be done, why would I deny my own wish along with yours?"

Kiritsugu stood up, looking down on the girl before him.

"It wouldn't grant my wish. It simply wanted to see me suffer. And it would have done the same to you."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT! HOW KIRITSUGU? MAYBE IT WOULDN'T HAVE GRANTED A WISH TO YOUR BLACK HEART, BUT WHAT ABOUT ME? I COULD HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING I DID WRONG. And then, and then…"  
Her voice trailed off.

"And then what? What really would you have fixed Saber? Your kingdom was doomed. It would have fallen apart in time. Accept it and move on."

"No. I can't accept it. Someone else would have made it last. Made it strong. If I wasn't king, if someone else had pulled out the sword…" There was a hint of despair and longing in the angry tones.

"What would have changed?" Kiritsugu laughed.

"Everything! That sword made a mistake, I-"

"Nothing Saber. Nothing would have changed."

Saber started to open her mouth to reply, but Kiritsugu continued.

"If anything, you would have made it worse. The Grail wanted to twist my wish into something I never wished for. It would have done the same to yours."

Black obsidian met cold emerald.

"So move on. Give it up Saber. To make all your sins absolved, to change everything for the better by denying all you did, that is a wish that cup won't grant."

"I don't believe you," came from between clenched teeth and with shaking hands.

"Believe whatever you want. I'm in no position to criticize you about your ideals, not after I abandoned mine and my dream."

Saber's eyes stayed on Kiritsugu as the man looked into his jacket pocket.

"Still there. Huh. Wonder if they're still good."

He pulled out a cigarette, and light it with a flick of a small lighter.

"I stopped doing this you know. For Shirou. He couldn't stand the smell of the smoke, it gave him nightmares."

The smoke filled the shed with the distinct scent of tobacco.

"It wasn't just that. The smell reminded me too much of all the bodies. So I quit. Again."

Kiritsugu dropped the cigarette and ground it out on the concrete floor of the shed.

"Call me a hypocrite all you want Saber. It won't change what's happened."

He pushed his way past her in the door way.

"You think I don't regret what I did each day Saber? How much I wish that the Grail would have given me my dream with no strings attached?"

Saber couldn't say anything, except look again with pity at the broken man who had been her Master.

"Well, _I fucking do_. Think on it."

-

Shirou stumbled into the living room just as Kiritsugu finished making the blackest coffee he'd ever made, a mug for both him and Rin. It had been a long night.

"Oh, hey Rin." Shirou groggily said. "And… Dad?"

"Good morning Shirou. We have a lot to talk about."

Shirou's eyes darted back and forth from his adoptive father to Rin.

"About what?"

"The war, obviously." Rin replied, drinking out of the mug Kiritsugu had set in front of her cautiously, as if she suspected that the older magus would poison her cup. "Kiritsugu has some experience with this sort of thing apparently. He was Saber's Master in the last war."

_Oh you clever girl…_

Shirou looked at his father, questions forming on his lips faster than he could even speak.

"How? What? Why? Huh?"

"One question at a time." Kiritsugu said, taking a drink of the extremely bitter coffee.

"Where's Saber? Is she alright?"

"Saber is fine. She's in the dojo, I think. And in any case, who we should all be concerned about right now is you, Shirou. How are you? Everything where it should be?"

The young man touched his stomach, apparently feeling the bandages underneath his shirt. "I think. It doesn't hurt at all. I just kinda feel a little nauseous though."

"I think the bandages can come off then." Kiritsugu said, nodding.

"Alright."

Shirou stripped off his shirt, and began undoing the bandaging. Rin gasped at the sight.

There was nothing left but an already fading scar. No evidence that Shirou's abdomen had been split open like a hog prepared for butchering remained outside of that thin, fading mark.

It was like his body had reversed the damage all on its own.  
_  
Avalon._

"Shirou, I'd put that shirt back on. Rin looks like she's about to start drooling." Kiritsugu said, draining his mug.

Both of the teenagers blushed, and Rin began stammering out denials as Shirou hastily pulled the shirt back over his head.

"Anyway, I need to get something done. Try not to get killed again while I'm out Shirou."

Kiritsugu left the two Masters to their own devices, and headed out to the shed, intent on making sure that his weapons were hidden well enough that Shirou would not notice them.

-

Shirou and Rin had not made an alliance… formally anyway. Kiritsugu viewed it as only a matter of time before the two teamed up though. He hadn't figured out the reason why Shirou refused, but whatever it was, it likely wouldn't prevent a future alliance. As such, Kiritsugu had settled with giving Shirou the best advice he could for the time being: If you see Berserker, RUN. He'd also learned just how high the odds were stacked against his son. Saber was much, much weaker than she should be, running at just 1000 units of prana. To make things worse, she was still recovering from a wound to the chest as well as her side. She could fight – and likely win – against any Servant in terms of pure swordsmanship, but it never really came down to that, despite how much Saber seemed to have wished it would in the last war.

Taiga and Sakura came for dinner, and Shirou and Kiritsugu introduced Saber as a distant relative of Kiritsugu visiting for a while. The meal went fine, though Sakura seemed ill at ease, everyone went home, and the time came for something Kiritsugu dreaded deeply: Shirou going out seeking other Masters. He'd tried to convince his son that this was the worst possible move this early on, especially with Saber in a weakened state, but both Shirou and his Servant had ignored him. So again, Kiritsugu was left in an empty house, with nothing to do but wait and hope.

About five hours passed before the pair returned. Shirou came in first, walked straight up to Kiritsugu, sat down, and said simply: "We need to talk."

Kiritsugu sighed and turned a glance to Saber. No friendly face was found. "I suspected as much. What happened?"

"Rider is dead. And apparently the Matou's are a family of Magi." Shirou's golden brown eyes trained a piercing gaze on Kiritsugu. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"There was no need for you to know."

"Just like there was no need for me to know that you had fought in the Fourth War? Just like there was no need for me to know that the Einzberns possibly hold a grudge against you?" Shirou's voice would have been, to anyone who didn't know him, level. But Kiritsugu could feel the distrust beneath the surface, the anger, and above all, the hurt.

"Shirou, I never believed that any of that would have any impact on your life, in any meaningful way, ever. I will admit I have sheltered you in regards to the magical world, but I do not and never will believe that that was the wrong decision. And who did you learn that the Matou's were a family of magi from?"

"Zouken. Shinji was the Master of Rider, he was controlling her through some sort of book. Zouken told him that he was a disgrace after Saber defeated Rider, and sent him back home."

Kiritsugu shuddered a little. If Zouken was getting involved…

"Shirou, never, under any circumstances, be alone with Zouken Matou. That old man is possibly the most powerful magus in Fuyuki right now. Summon Saber with a command spell, run away, do _anything _but stay alone with him. I doubt he's given up the Holy Grail that easily."

"He seems to have," Shirou said, adjusting his body slightly.

"And I'm not buying it. It's smart to be on your guard around other magi in any case. Just… just don't do anything incredibly stupid Shirou. I don't want to lose you."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Anon, I get where you're coming from. Let me explain a few things._

_The cussing thing I found ironic as hell, all things considered. It really just makes me shake my head and go "Oh, you!" Sorry if that carried over into condensation, I just found it funny that you would complain about that of all things._

_I have problems with In Flight for several reasons - 1, it is waaaaaaaaay too fucking long, 2, GB's Shirou is completely divorced from how Shirou acts (or even Archer acted in life), 3, the slice of life is strangling me to death. Now, don't get me wrong, the grammar and writing is fine technically, but it doesn't FEEL like something from the Nasuverse. It feels totally divorced from it, and some of GB's bad habits have rubbed off on other writers. THAT is why I dislike it. Your mileage may vary._

_From Fake Dreams is a huge bag of worms I'd rather not rant about here. Trust me, I'll PM you or AIM you or something about that if you want to hear why I dislike it, my reasoning behind it, and why it's become a train-wreck of bad. Admittedly, this authors note is more specific than most about addressing things (And problems myself I find in my own story) than some._

_Writing a fic to one up someone_

_...Why would you do this? Why would anyone do this? I write for fun. I write because I find things in canon a little stupid, or want to change something up, or just want to have fun with the characters._

_Anyway, this chapter was the first time I seriously began to shift things around in the story, and in that respect, it worked well. In other respects, it fell flat (Length is still an issue, at this point I was constraining myself chapter length wise.) Read on, apologies for the wall of text above._

Kiritsugu had developed a habit of waking up early in the mornings, and just lying in bed. It was a time all to himself, when he could forget about everything, forget about the curse, and just live. Enjoy breathing, the sound of the clocks, the feel of the air, the warmth of his bed. Sadly, that moment of meditation and escape ended early that morning, as he heard a muffled thump from Shirou's room.  
_  
Looks like Saber is trying to pull her "I never will leave my Master's side" thing again._

Now that had been annoying. It had taken an awful lot of persuasion in the Fourth War to not stay with him and instead stay with Iri. If Shirou wished to be a Master, he'd deal with this himself. It wasn't Kiritsugu's place to interfere. Besides, he'd likely get his head removed from his shoulders if he tried anyway. He'd been much too snappy to her than she really deserved last night, even if she was a noble and deluded fool.

It occurred to Kiritsugu that he'd never really thought of Saber as a person before now, just a tool to be used.

-

Breakfast was normal, Saber decided. As normal as could be considering the situation. Saber was not pleased that Shirou would be going to school, but after both Kiritsugu and Shirou had pointed out how unlikely that he would be in any danger by going and that if Shirou didn't leave, Taiga would be suspicious.

"It looks like you'll be spending the day with me Saber," Kiritsugu said, as he shoved more of the potato salad into his mouth. "Pity I'm a lot more boring than I appear."

It was all Saber could do not to drop her utensils and leap across the table to strangle her former Master. The man was a lunatic, spouting on and on last night about the grail being not what it seemed. But several things were holding her back: Her own sense of pride, her duty to Shirou, and the utter pity she felt for the broken man who sat in front of her. And that breaking her cover would be disastrous.

"Of course. I noticed that this house has a dojo. Perhaps we could spar a little?" The beatific smile Saber produced to accompany the words caused Kiritsugu to twitch uncomfortably.

"Oh, you know kendo Saber?" Taiga asked, looking up from her food.

"To an extent. I have studied swordplay throughout my life."  
Saber shoveled down more of the potato salad. She didn't need to eat but it would be rude not to when Master- no, Shirou offered. And the food was delicious as well.

"I was a terror of the kendo scene in my day," Taiga said. "Perhaps we could have a match sometime." The older woman's eyes gleamed with a ferocity that belied her apparently innocent nature. Saber smiled, this time for real. Taiga seemed like she might be fun to play around with a little.

"I would love to."

-

Kiritsugu hit the ground for the third time that day. Saber had not been kidding when she said she wished to spar. Perhaps 'spar' was the wrong word, 'attempt to beat him half to death' seemed not only more fitting, but also much more accurate. Gasping for breath, Kiritsugu got up again, grabbed the shinai from where it had been flung away from the violent disarming grapple, and adopted a ready stance. Despite the pain from his curse, the fact that Saber wasn't pulling any punches, and his own limbs screaming to let them rest, he was enjoying this. He'd regret it later, and the bruises were already starting to hurt, but he felt like he did ten years ago.

Saber simply turned away from him, dispelling her silver armor.

"I am done. You are in no state to continue in any case."

Kiritsugu hated to admit it, but she was likely right. He dropped the sword and slumped to the ground, panting. "That was fun."

Saber's eyes narrowed. "I can't see how."

"I haven't challenged myself like that for a long time Saber. It's great. I feel alive."

And then Kiritsugu doubled over in pain. Another circuit had failed, along with the rest of the kidney. He gritted his teeth, grabbing at his abdomen, trying not to black out. This time was much worse than any of the previous. It wasn't like a bite or slice this time, more like a red hot chainsaw had simply ripped out a piece of him. His vision swam, and Saber walked over, a frown on her face.

"I assumed I hadn't hit you as hard as that. Are you injured?"

"No," Kiritsugu spat out, "No. It's nothing. Just a cramp. It will wear off in a bit."

Saber kept frowning, and Kiritsugu could detect a slight hint of disappointment in her expression, but she nodded. "You performed better than I expected."

"Taiga taught me a little when she was still doing kendo. She needed someone unafraid of getting hit by her to practice with." Kiritsugu smiled at the memory of the excitable high schooler lecturing him about positions, forms, how points were scored, and how she would certainly make it to nationals this year. "And as I was available, didn't mind getting battered around somewhat, and had a dojo in the house, it fell to me."

"So she simply never left?" Saber asked. "I wonder why she comes here."

"Free food is my guess. This house is a lot like a home away from home for her."

Kiritsugu remembered the times early on she tried to talk to him. He hadn't been much in the mood for the bubbly schoolgirl, and had starting speaking to her in English in order to confuse her and hopefully make her lose interest. It hadn't worked long, and eventually she actually became somewhat fluent in the language, impressively fast. Kiritsugu felt a little bit of pride in the fact that she'd become an English teacher.

"You two in here?" Taiga's voice came from the main house, slightly muffled by the walls.  
_  
Speak of the devil – or the Tiger- and he – or she – appears._

"In the dojo Fuji," Kiritsugu shouted, checking his already forming bruises. He'd be regretting this tomorrow.  
The Tiger of Fuyuki prowled into the dojo, head held high, a cloth wrapped bundle resting against her shoulder.

"Hello Saber! Just finish up a match? Did you show Kiritsugu his place?" Taiga began unwrapping her bundle.  
_  
She couldn't have… She didn't… OH MY GOD SHE DID._

Tora-Shinai. The demon blade of Fuyuki. Kiritsugu knew it well. The false blade was bloodthirsty in the extreme, and was Taiga's weapon of choice. With it, she'd carved a legend of terror in the local kendo scene. That small tiger adornment he'd given her as a gift one day on a whim was still attached to the shinai.

This would be no sparring match, Kiritsugu could tell. Taiga was going to test Saber the best way she knew how: Seeing how long Saber could take a beating from her.

This wasn't going to end well for Taiga.

"She did. She's better than you at her age Taiga. I am not kidding."

"I doubt that Kiritsugu." With a flourish, Taiga adopted a ready stance. "En gaurde Saber!"

The battle that followed shocked only one participant. Within seconds Saber had disarmed Taiga in a flurry of blows faster than Kiritsugu could follow.

Taiga just stood there, as dumbfounded as Kiritsugu at what had just occurred. Saber had not even taken a step forward. And for the first time in a long time, the Tiger had been defeated.

Taiga's lip quivered slightly.

-

Shirou arrived home to a distressed Taiga desperately begging Saber for a rematch. He motioned to  
Kiritsugu indicating that he wished to talk about something in private. The pair headed towards the outbuilding, in silence until Shirou started speaking.

"I think it would be safer for Sakura to stay here for the duration of the War. Shinji seems to be taking his anger over the War out on her."

Kiritsugu considered this for a second.

"Shirou, are you sure that you want her to stay here?"  
_  
He probably doesn't realize how this will keep Zouken somewhat in check. Hostages are useful, and in this case this one would be more than willing._

"Yeah. Are you alright with this Dad?"

"Yes."

"Thanks. I'll tell her myself I guess."

Shirou turned to head back to the kitchen, while Kiritsugu stood there in the hall, considering all that had happened in the last couple of days.  
_  
I need a way of forcing Rin into an alliance somehow, and making it look like Shirou is the one who wants it more. The sooner it happens, the better. But that still leaves… Ilya_.

For the first time in ten years, his daughter was close enough to reach out and touch, metaphorically speaking. He still remembered the way to the Einzbern Castle, through the wards and barrier fields. If he wished, he could attempt to visit her that way.

But the big question still remained: would Ilya accept him back? Who knew what Acht had told her, what she had heard about her father, what she thought of him? Nothing good, that was sure. Sighing, Kiritsugu leaned on the wall. He was beginning to feel very, very old.

-

Kiritsugu was relegated to breaking the news to Taiga. She took it quite well, and seemed pleased that she would now technically have two cooks on staff. Dinner went smoothly, though Sakura ran face first into a wall soon after. Kiritsugu viewed her as still flustered over the fact that she had been asked to stay by Shirou. All in all, the only problem was Saber, who seemed to still have that undying hatred of him not yet completely under control. Shirou left the table, saying nothing and leaving the former pair of Master and Servant together alone.

"We've got a problem," Kiritsugu said, drumming his fingers on the table. "You and Shirou need to play it a little more cautious."

"My duty, in this war and the last, is and was to defeat the other Servants," Saber said, narrowing her eyes. "I cannot avoid that."

"But you can avoid being seen. What we need at the moment is the identities of Masters. You and Shirou deal with the Servants, and I'll-"

"No. No unnecessary killing. Shirou does not want the enemy Masters dead, only their Servants."

Kiritsugu stopped drumming. "Shirou wants to become a hero. Save everybody. I would love to see that happen. But, he needs to be alive for that. Saber, please, if you get any information on other Masters, tell me."

"Why?"

"So I can deal with them."

"No. You are not going to do your dirty work again through me." Saber stood up, looking down at Kiritsugu. "Do what you wish. But you will have no help from me."

The former King walked in the direction of the dojo, leaving Kiritsugu alone.

-

Assassin's sword clattered to the ground. Its wielder, a nameless peasant swordsman grasped his abdomen, struck by a sudden pain, like something was attempting to rip its way out of his body. Blood began flowing from his mouth as his organs were repurposed into a shadow forming close by, his muscles ripped from their anchors to become those of the shadows. Soon, nothing was left of the false assassin but a husk, barely clinging to life. And the shadow waits. Bone with wisps of flesh still attached form the skull of an abomination. Serrated teeth drip with saliva in a mouth full of toxins and venom, with drool that seems to melt the stone steps as the droplets hit them. Its arm ends in claws like skinning knives, designed not to cut cleanly but to rip and tear flesh to bits. It is hunched, bone showing through black muscle, its form more like some horrendous mixture of beast and man than anything recognizable. And it is hungry.

The second arm bursts out of the husks chest, and the transformation is complete. The shadow feeds, its claws separating flesh from bone, jaws snapping bone like twigs, and all the while, the sound of the insects surround it. Assassin is born in the bloody feast, summoned from the flesh of the one who took his name falsely.

And it is still hungry.

Assassin shifts with a snapping of bone, claws retracting, skull covering with flesh, mask appearing over eyeless sockets. A man stands, and howls to the moon above his joy at living. And it smells food. It smells flesh. It smells knowledge.

There are no barriers to block it from simply walking through the temple gate. There are no barriers to stop it from walking up towards its target. And it shifts back into its nightmarish form as it enters the building.

The man is the first to wake, and makes the first move. He is also the first to die. Assassin fells upon him in a flurry of claws and teeth. The throat is the first to go, ripped out with the fangs and the neck is snapped with a shake of Assassin's head. The intestines are clawed and torn to shreds. The Master's chest was split in half and the claws rip the heart of the man out, still thumping even severed from the body. Assassin gleefully devoured it, absorbing essence from the sacrifice.

And before Caster can make a move, she is next. Strong are the shifting arms that lift her off her feet and smash her into a wall. Rule Breaker falls from her grip, clattering to the ground. Caster cannot breathe.

"F-f-f-food… t-t-t-tell me your name…"

Caster tries to speak, tries to cast a spell, but all that comes out is a choking sound.

"T-t-then I-I-I-I learn with y-y-y-y-y-your death."

The jaws distend, fangs grow larger and claws impale the lungs, toxic breath warms the face of his victim prey feast food and –  
Assassin stops. Another presence is coming. He drops Caster, who starts gasping for breath as blood stains her robes like sanguine flowers, and flees, shifting into a lithe and agile shape for speed. Turning on his presence concealment, he watches as a blonde swordswoman kills his food at the behest of a young man, obviously her Master. And how after she leaves with her Master, –tasty succulent mage flesh how he wishes to taste it rip it devour it make it his and his alone feel its warmth and blood and hair and listen to the screams– the Shadow, a creature darker than even he devours his food, but leaves the corpse of the man behind, avoiding it. Assassin's ripping and tearing mark it as his kill and his alone. And the Shadow does not yet know if Assassin is predator or prey.

A chittering of insects reaches Assassins ear as he approaches the building again.

"You have done well."

Assassin ignores it, too intent on devouring the still warm corpse of the man. And yet, he is still hungry…

-

Shirou came home around two that night. Kiritsugu had already taken a seat in the living room, and stayed silent as Shirou sat down in front of him.

Kiritsugu waited, and finally Shirou spoke.

"Caster is gone."  
_  
Two Servants in two nights. My god, this is already on the way to being over within a week. _Kiritsugu thought. But…

"Something is wrong, isn't it Shirou."

"Something tore Caster's Master apart. At first, I thought it was a spell, but when I think about it, it doesn't work. Caster didn't even get to cast a spell. She was coughing up blood when Saber finished her off. Someone attacked her."

"Rin and her Servant?"

"Archer? No. He's still healing. Rin told me that, and that a Servant was at the Temple."

"Let me guess. Caster?"

"Yeah. She didn't know that though. Anyway, what Servant could rip apart someone like that? It looked like a wild dog did it."

Kiritsugu rubbed his chin thoughtfully before answering. "It could be Berserker but it isn't Berserker. Ilya wouldn't run, and Berserker would have killed them both. You said yourself that it can't be Archer. Rider and Caster are eliminated. That leaves Lancer and Assassin."

"I don't think it was Lancer. I have seen him fight. He would have killed them both with a single spear thrust." Shirou said, glancing down at his chest.

"You've met Lancer?"

"He was trying to kill me when I summoned Saber. His real name is Cu Chulainn."

Kiritsugu whistled. "Powerful hero."

"No kidding. He nearly killed Saber with his Phantasm. So that means that Assassin did it?"

"Likely so. And even worse is that we have no idea which one," Kiritsugu said frowning.

"What do you mean?"

"Assassin is more like a collective of individuals than an actual hero. The one in my war had 100 bodies. This one apparently is more beast than man." Kiritsugu glanced at the clock. "It's getting late Shirou. Get some sleep. You've done more in two days than anyone could have expected. You deserve some rest."


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Thank you guest, for that spine crush. Needed that. Pacing is always an issue for me, I'm not sure if I'm taking something too fast or too slow until it's already written, and even then I'm not good at it. But, hey. At least my grammar is fine! Also, little thing I think everyone should know, this has already been published elsewhere. I'm not changing any of the already published stuff. Find the story yourself if you want to read it, I've included some other goodies in there for you._

Shirou was sick that morning. To Kiritsugu's eyes, it looked like it was from a lack of prana. Shirou could barely be considered a magic user, having to rely on artificial circuits. Powering Saber in combat three nights straight had finally taken its toll it seemed. Kiritsugu had slipped out, leaving Sakura to take care of Shirou, a task she was taking as seriously as he had assassinations. Kiritsugu had to admire her dedication to it. She'd even persuaded him and Taiga to let her stay at the Emiya household instead of going to school.

As it was, Kiritsugu was spending the day Downtown. Well, not Downtown exactly. The shopping district of Fuyuki was one of his favorite places in the city. The atmosphere was the exact opposite of the calm he had back in the house on most days. It bustled with activity, housewives doing their shopping, café's with customers chattering outdoors, even in the slightly chilly air, the scent of fresh cooked food everywhere. A hand touched his shoulder, and a voice that is both familiar, yet impossible to place meets Kiritsugu's ears.

"Kiritsugu. Mind getting something to eat with me?"

Kiritsugu turned with a start, hand unconsciously reaching inside his jacket. He gazed up into the face of someone very, very familiar, but again, Kiritsugu couldn't place it. He was tan, more bronze actually, with white hair and iron grey eyes. He stood a good head taller than him, and wore a tight black shirt and slacks.

"Do I know you?" Kiritsugu asked, taking a step away and slipping his hand further into his jacket. He grasped the hilt of the blade he had put in there today, cursing silently that he'd decided not to risk carrying his Beretta in the district. Whoever this man was, he knew his name – a bad sign, especially when he didn't know his.

The man frowned slightly, before brightening up. "Oh, right. Sorry, I've seen you, but you haven't seen me." He extended a hand.

"Archer. I'm Rin's contribution to the War."

Kiritsugu hesitantly took his hand and shook it. It was warm, as though a fire burned underneath the man's skin.

"I suppose you already know my name. Do you have a place in mind?"

"I guess I have one…"

Archer motioned to a restaurant that Kiritsugu knew well – a classic American diner he and Shirou had gone to a couple of times. The food was excellent and full of artery clogging goodness, and the waitresses wore classic 50's diner garb, another bonus. And the booths were private, padded, and very, very comfortable.

Kiritsugu ordered a hamburger, and Archer followed suit.

"So. What did you stop me for?" Kiritsugu said, in between bites of the food.

Archer shrugged. "Curiosity mainly. You interest me."

Archer meant that more than Kiritsugu could know. The man who he'd modeled his life after was sitting in front of him, eating a burger. This was even more surreal than he had even imagined it could be. His words however, held something more. Archer was trying to find out something else, namely a way to get to Shirou without having to kill Kiritsugu. If his old man let something slip, or offered an opportunity… well, he'd take it. But if he got in the way, he would die. That was it.

"Cut the bullshit."

And that came straight out of left field, even considering the situation. Archer choked a little on his fries.  
"Rin is interested in Shirou and Saber, I know that. Outside of Berserker, they're her – and your -biggest threat," Kiritsugu said, taking a sip of the Coke he'd ordered. "Now, at the same time, I have things in my mind that you both want, and you both have things that I want."

Archer had never heard Kiritsugu speaking like that, never at all.

"What I offer is my experience and my expertise in certain matters, and information of my own. I was the last man standing in the Fourth War. You'd be a fool not to take up this offer."

Archer quickly established a mental link with Rin. This was big. This was as an offer he couldn't refuse. To spend more time with Kiritsugu would pay off, and might just give him the chance he needed. And all he needed to do was make sure Rin saw it the same way.

_Rin. Look through my eyes and ears. This is something you will want to hear._

_Archer, I'm in the middle of lunch and- is that Kiritsugu? Where are you? I thought you were injured?_

_Long story, I got better, so just listen._

"What sort of expertise?" Archer asked, eating another fry.

"Fighting other Masters. There is a reason why I was hired by the Einzberns last war."

_Wait, did he say what I think he just said?_

_About the Einzberns?_

_Yes! What else is there? Does he know Ilya? A way to beat her or separate her from Berserker?_

_Rin. Not yet. Let me keep talking to him._  
"How many Masters did you dispose of?"

"Three. And a Servant."

Now that, that shut both Rin and Archer up.

_A Servant?_

"A Servant?"

Killing three mages was one thing. Having destroyed a Heroic Spirit is another. Archer was as shocked dumb as Rin at the fact. To accomplish such a thing, was… was... just what the hell could Kiritsugu do?

Kiritsugu shrugged, and started on his own fries. "He needed to die."

_I can't believe this but…_

_I don't think he's lying either Rin._

_So he's offering to basically do all the work for us when we find who a Master is?_

_I guess._

_There's a catch. There is always a catch_.

"Specifically, what do you want back?"

"To start, information on any Master you find out about." Kiritsugu finished off his burger and started on the fries. "And I want Rin to train Shirou in magecraft."

_WHAT!?_

Archer nodded, grinning at Rin's shocked and confused tones evident even through the mental link.

"I'm sure Rin will be more than willing."

_I am NOT! Why didn't he teach him that sort of thing? Is he trying to figure out what I know?_

_Do you want to find out about what Shirou, and by extension Saber is capable of? We will have to face them eventually._

And if it meant that Archer had a way to get to Shirou…

Fine. I was planning to talk to Shirou anyway today.

"I won't ask for a geas on this. Your word should be enough."

"I understand." Archer reached out his hand towards Kiritsugu's, and his father shook it. "Rin shouldn't take too much convincing. She's a smart young woman."

_And you are an idiot!_

_Rin, just calm down._

_How the hell can I be calm! Just… Just go home Archer._

Archer finished his meal and left Kiritsugu to pick up the tab. Kiritsugu leaned back in the booth, just thinking. He'd done as much as he could. Archer seemed to be willing to work with him, and if Archer viewed him in a decent light, Rin likely would as well. Shirou would be trained, Kiritsugu had no doubt about that. Rin wouldn't turn the opportunity to scout out what Saber could do exactly, and perhaps get her name. Kiritsugu could accept that. If that was what it took to have Rin helping him in the end that was a simple price to pay. Though the bill was… oh. Right. That's why he didn't come here more.

Kiritsugu headed home shortly after, a slight grin on his face. Everything was going better than he'd expected it to. There were no problems with the curse that prevented him from participating if need be yet, and he had secured both an alliance and training for Shirou. Breaking the news to him might be a little tricky, but Shirou would likely accept it. It was obvious he trusted Rin, so it shouldn't be a problem. And if Shirou accepted it, Saber would as well.  
He entered the house and came face to face with a stern looking Saber and Sakura.

"Semp- oh. Hello Kiritsugu!" Sakura said, her frown turning into a smile.

Kiritsugu just blinked. "Why are you two in the entryway?" he asked, as he kicked off his shoes and removed his jacket.

"Shirou snuck out," Saber explained, holding up a note. "He wrote he was going out to get some groceries."

"That sounds like him," Kiritsugu sighed.  
_  
He depleted his Prana reserves to the point of running a fever and he recovers enough in half a day to go shopping. The joys of being young and stupid._

"I was in the shopping district and didn't see him. He'll be back before sundown, I guarantee it."

"But he's sick! Sakura said, concern evident in his voice. "He shouldn't be doing something like that."

"I agree with Sakura. It isn't safe for Shirou to be out there alone," Saber said.

"He'll be fine." Kiritsugu said, heading into the living room to just relax for the rest of the day. Shirou could take care of himself, during the day at least. It wasn't like he was going to run into Ilya or anything.

When Shirou got back home two hours past the time he was supposed to arrive, he was met with two different reactions. Anger came from Sakura and Saber, who were both concerned about his health. A slight sense of frustration came from Kiritsugu, though he hid it well behind a mask of simple acknowledgement that Shirou was fine, and there was nothing to worry about.

Shirou suddenly had something to worry about when Saber dragged him into the dojo.  
More time passed. Kiritsugu read his book and Sakura watched some TV. Around six, the phone rang. Kiritsugu got up to grab it before Sakura could. He had a feeling that –

"Hello, Emiya residenc-"

"WHERE THE HELL IS SHIROU!"  
-Rin Tohshaka was on the other end of the line.

"In the dojo. You don't need to shout." Sakura looked curiously at Kiritsugu. "Look, give me a few seconds."

"Fine."

"Something I have to take." Kiritsugu mouthed to Sakura, and walked out of the living room. He took a seat on the edge of the open hallway, and said into the phone. "Alright. Needed to get away from some attentive ears. I assume this is about training Shirou."

"YES YOU MORON!"

If years of gunfire hadn't deadened Kiritsugu's hearing somewhat, that sentence might have caused him to recoil from the unnatural volume the girl was somehow projecting through the phone.

"Start him tomorrow then. If he's surprised, that's fine. Just set up a time to train him. Give him a basic rundown."

"Shouldn't you have already talked to him about the basics of magic?"

"I have. Shirou knows about the association, familiars, mystic eyes, that sort of thing. The things that he'd likely run across as a magic user."

"I mean what does he know how to do? I can tell he isn't excellent but he at least knows the basics right?"

"He's still in the basics. We haven't even touched Alteration, and I doubt he can do that anyway. He's a natural at Projection, and struggles with but can do Reinforcement."

There was silence at the other end of the line.

"So basically… he knows nothing."

"Pretty much."

Kiritsugu could feel Rin's anger coming to a boil. "If I could hit you through this phone right now I would do so."

"I've had a lot of people tell that to me. Anyway, you called asking for Shirou right?"

"Yes…" The anger kept building. Mount Tohsaka was about to explode.

Kiritsugu eyed Shirou, who had obviously just finished his session with Saber by the look of him.

"Here he is. Have fun."

Kiritsugu handed the phone off to Shirou, who wasn't able to get a single word in before the shouting began. Smiling he walked away into the kitchen. Sometimes the best punishments were those that you did not have to perform yourself.

"I'm staying in tonight."

Shirou's proclamation stunned Kiritsugu.

"Are you sure?"

Shiriou nodded. "I'm concerned about Sakura. Especially after…"

"Oh. Right."

Shinji's visit had left Sakura shaken up, and with a nasty bruise on the side of her head where Shinji had hit her, but luckily was covered by her hair. She'd also collapsed soon after he'd left. Kiritsugu feared she might have a concussion.

It had left Shinji with a dislocated jaw from where Shirou had punched him. And some bruises from when Kiritsugu had thrown him bodily out the door, partly from anger and partly to keep Shirou from murdering him. It was something that had surprised everyone, including Kiritsugu, that he had been able to do so. And that Shinji had flown so far.

"I would have suggested you stay in anyway. You're running low on prana, which isn't good. A day of rest is what's called for." Kiritsugu said, looking at Saber as he continued. "And it should also allow Saber time to refill her stores as well. Though…"

"What?"

"I could go out with Saber instead. I don't think we'll be attacked tonight, and my being with Saber might throw anyone watching the house off as to who is the Master."

"I will not do such a thing. My place is with Shirou." Saber's statement was short, blunt and simple.  
Shirou took a look at the pair, and shrugged. "I'd say it's up to Saber. If she doesn't want to go, she doesn't have to."

Kiritsugu nodded, and took a sip of the coffee he'd made in preparation for staying up late. It would be a shame to let it go to waste after all.

"Are you still going to train?"

"Of course."

"Just don't stay up too late or overtax yourself. Rin won't appreciate it if her pupil shows up half asleep and completely drained of prana at school tomorrow." Kiritsugu said to Shirou's retreating back.  
Saber and Kiritsugu were alone together again. Saber eyed the coffee hesitantly.

"May I…"

"I'll get you a mug," Kiritsugu said, walking into the kitchen and grabbing one from the cabinet. "I guess you've never had coffee."

"No, it was after my time."

Kiritsugu filled the mug with the hot liquid, watching the steam come off the surface. "Careful. It's very hot," he said as he set it down in front of his former Servant.

Saber took a drink, and then nearly spat it out.

"And bitter."

"You could have warned me. The way you drink it, it seemed to be something sweet."

Kiritsugu smirked slightly. But something was nagging at him.

"You aren't angry with me or anything?"

"I hate you with a passion Kiritsugu. I wish nothing more than to punish you in the way that I believe you deserve." Saber took a more hesitant drink this time, gulping down the coffee with a slight grimace. "But, I believe that Shirou's safety is far more important than my problems with you."

Kiritsugu sighed and rubbed the back of his head. It was, he figured, the best he would get in the way of reconciliation with Saber.

"I feel the same way."

The Ryudou Temple was a barren waste, inhabited by nothing but insects. Lancer had seen the aftermaths of slaughters before, many of which he had caused, and this place had that same stillness, the same atmosphere of finality, and the same stench of death. The monks had not only left because of the murder, but because the very area itself was tainted by some darkness. A darkness that he was sent to investigate. The first attack came without warning, a pair of daggers glistening with drops of a toxic substance were thrown from the shadows at his chest. Lancer deflected them with a contemptuous flick of his spear.

"Show yourself. I know you're out here," the Irishman called out, a feral grin beginning in the corner of his mouth. Perhaps this one would give him a fight.

Lancer's words were answered by the callings and movement of the insects, and another dagger, this time from a completely different direction. He knocked it askew with the same casual grace as before.

"I'd rather see your face when I kill you."

A horrible grating cackle reverberated against the Temple walls and echoed all around, a mix between the hunting cries of a hyena and a mountain lion - as chilling as it was macabre and abominable - answered from behind Lancer. Lancer spun around, a dagger flying an inch past his head and taking the end of a hair with it, as he raised his spear into a defensive stance, ready to answer any attack. Heart. Lungs. Liver. Spleen. Kidneys. Jugular vein. Femoral artery. Black blades spun towards each of these targets in quick succession, and just as fast were answered and repelled by Lancer's circling spear. Two daggers spun towards his wrists, attempting to cut his defense – and survival – off with a single swift move. A quick shift of Lancers stance caused them to bounce harmlessly off Gae Bolg. An angry hornet's nest of daggers buzzed towards Lancer, attempting to capitalize on the forced movement, but each hornet was knocked from the sky with contempt.

A leering bone white mask, shaped to imitate the human skull, though slightly deformed and twisted appeared in the shadows. A figure followed soon afterward, covered with a cloak apparently woven of the very shadows it had materialized from. The smell of decay emanated from the figure, and when Lancer concentrated on his now visible opponent he felt… nothing. Well, not nothing. A feeling of wrongness and something that should not exist came what was obviously a Servant in waves.

"M-m-m-my face is not g-g-g-gazed at lig-g-g-ghtly. Are y-y-y-you prepared to see d-d-d-death, hero?" the Servant said, his throat obviously struggling to make the required noises to even speak. The words sounded as wrong as its existence seemed.

"I laughed in her faces," Lancer said his feral grin now a wicked snarl of amusement and anticipation.

The skull masked Servant cocked his head back and howled with laughter, a hideous sound that caused the hair on the back of Lancer's neck to prickle. "A-a-a-as expected from a t-t-t-true hero. Your f-f-f-f-lesh will give me m-m-m-m-much."

Assassin – No other class was unfilled - launched another storm of blades before throwing himself towards Lancer. The fight restarted, and despite all the knives thrown from Assassin's seemingly endless supply, none got as close to touching him as the fourth blade did. Lancer began to grow angry. This was supposed to be a fight. This wasn't supposed to be boring, routine, predictable. Kirei wouldn't begrudge him ending the life of this one. His last two fights had been interrupted, and his spear begged for blood. Sating it now before it got unruly and uncontrollable would be a wise move. Lancer started advancing towards Assassin, as the shadow seemed to reach the same conclusion – the throwing of daggers would not settle this matter.

"Gae…"

Assassin sensed danger but continued on regardless, his hands turning into something more bestial than the human form could ever allow. He launched himself in the air, clawed hands extended, muscles shifting beneath the cloak and skin –

"…Bolg!"

But the devil spear rose to meet him in mid-flight. It went through Assassin's heart, and stopped him, a mere spears length from Lancer.

The Son of Lugh grinned as he saw red blood cascade down under the mask, and out the wound of the spear. He began to pull it back, but something was stopping him.

"Y-y-y-y-you d-d-d-d-destroyed the wrong h-h-h-h-heart." Assassin said, a disturbed sense of pleasure evident in his voice at this fact

Assassin's voice was calm. No pain showed through, despite having the demonic lance embedded in his heart. His hands grasped Gae Bolg like vises, and with a tug, he simply pulled the cursed spear entirely through his body. Assassin yanked himself towards Lancer along the spear, his mask fusing with the skull underneath and revealing a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth and rotting flesh and steaming drool, eyeless sockets seemingly filled with triumph.

Lancer drew a symbol in the air, and the world around him exploded. Assassin was sent flying backwards off the spear, and landed in an awkward heap of shattered bones and splattered blood. Lancer stalked forwards. No matter how many times he had to crush him with runes, no matter how many times he had to stab Assassin with the devil spear, the shadowy man had to die. Before Lancer's eyes, Assassin's tattered flesh reknit itself, tying broken and splintered bones together into an even more nightmarish form. The ragged remnants of his cloak covered the abomination, as blood stained the torn cloth and dripped off the figure like sanguine rain.

Assassin laughed again, an even more horrific sound than before coming from lungs being impaled with bits of rib. With inhuman grace, he spun and released another rain of daggers, before fleeing in the direction of the lake at a great speed. Lancer pursued, deflecting the knives as easily as before. He had him now, he would kill this shadow, and he would end this mockery of a fight. Assassin ran over the lake as something below welled up as if to deny its very existence, Lancer close behind ignored it, intent on his kill, spear raised and ready to throw-  
The jaws of a darker Shadow reached up from the lake. Lancer was caught off balance for the first time in this encounter. Runes of protection, magic that of the scale of a Noble Phantasm were cast with inhuman speed, but the Shadow ignored the defenses and went straight through them like they were nothing but cobwebs. In an act of sheer desperation, Lancer stabbed downwards, but served to only speed his demise as the blackened substance rose up through his spear and dragged him within.

**_"Tell me. What is your wish…"_**  
This was the last thing Lancer heard, reverberating within his skull before the blackness fully took him.

Assassin knew the Shadow had taken his meal once he reached the other side of the lake. He lamented its loss, but did not dwell on it. His controller had held him back, but he could only do so twice more before he was devoured as well. The injury of the spear still remained on his form, but it could be ignored for the time being. And after all, he had a city full of food below him and he was hungry…


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Bleh. Had a hell of a week, and writers block is hitting me hard with chapter 10. This is coming a little late, but I can say the pacing issues get better and the length starts getting better as well. As usual, review please, even to call me an asshole or horrible author. Anything is better than nothing._

* * *

Kiritsugu rose early again, head aching slightly. Some sounds could be heard from the kitchen.  
_  
Shirou's up already apparently. Or is it Sakura? Should check._

Kiritsugu dragged himself out of his bed, and stumbled into the living room. His bones ached like they had never before this morning, protesting at the slightest bit of movement. His limbs felt clumsy.  
"Coffee pot, where?" Kiritsugu groggily said, eyes still half closed

"Kiritsugu, it was cold. I threw it out," Sakura's voice said, coming from the kitchen.

"That doesn't matter. Need coffee."

"Just sit down. Where are the beans?"

"Have some left over grinds in there from yesterday. Should be fine. Just run hot water through the maker," Kiritsugu said, slumping over the table. He felt like hell was having a crazy party inside his skull, along with the inside of most of his body. Pins and needles everywhere.

It didn't take long before the delightful ambrosia that was discount supermarket coffee was in a mug in front of him. "God bless you Sakura," Kiritsugu said, caffeine entering his system and setting his mind into motion. "I have no idea what I would do without you."

Sakura gave him a slight smile.

A knock came from the door. Before Sakura could answer it, Kiritsugu with his mug in hand raced to the door, carefully opening it. If it was Shinji on the other side, Kiritsugu didn't want a repeat of last night.

"Good morning Kiritsugu!" Taiga cheerfully said. Kiritsugu stepped out of the way, and the teacher entered, removing her shoes with a simple kick. "Getting a little chilly outside! I might need to wear a coat tomorrow."

"Raiga would need to. You're still young, and it isn't that cold."

"Hmmph. It always seems to me that you never feel cold."

"I do, I just ignore it. So why weren't you here last night?"

"Dad collapsed. I swear he needs to lighten up a little, he takes everything so seriously, including work."

Taiga's father's job was to run the front for Riaga's syndicate. Kiritsugu wasn't completely sure if Taiga actually knew what her father and grandfather did.  
"Collapsed?"

"Yep, standing one second, next, BAM!" Taiga punched her fist into her hand with a resounding 'smack.' "He's on the floor."

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine. He's pissed at Mom forcing him into bed though."

"Huh." Kiritsugu knew Taiga's father was a tough man who'd never gotten sick in his life. His collapsing was odd to say the least. "Want any coffee?"

"I'm good." Taiga took a seat at the table across from where Kiritsugu was sitting. "How are you doing Sakura?"

"Fine, Miss Fujimura. Breakfast should be ready in a minute."

Sakura was quick in placing a bowl in front of Taiga, who practically inhaled the rice.

"Are my clothes fitting you alright?" she said in between massive bites.

"Well, the blouses are a little too small across the… well" Sakura mumbled out, glancing down to her chest.

Taiga grinned a little. "I'm sure Shirou doesn't mind…"

Sakura's blush was bright enough to be seen from low earth orbit.

"I don't mind what?" Shirou said, walking into the living room.

"Nothing," Taiga said in a sing-song voice, her grin widening and eyes sparkling with a playful light.

-

Taiga left before seven for a teacher's meeting, and Kiritsugu retreated to the dojo for his own daily exercises, Saber close behind soon after. It wasn't until after Shirou and Sakura were gone for school that Kiritsugu spoke again, this time to Saber.

"I'm going on patrol with you and Shirou tonight."

"If something happens, you know that I will put Shirou's safety above yours?"

"I know. I have no illusions about what might happen."

Saber sighed, a grim look on her face. "I suppose it is unavoidable. You would come regardless of my opinion if Shirou was not objecting to it."

"Of course. "

Kiritsugu rose from his sitting position, and walked out. He had some things that needed preparation.

The mats in his room unhooked easily, and his hands found the indentation on the floor boards. A simple slight push to the side was rewarded with a click, and a section of the floor was removed with ease, revealing a small crawlspace that was covered in cloth. Inside, laid several unloaded magazines, combat knife (In all reality, more a dagger than a knife), three boxes of 9mm rounds, and a box of twelve gauge buckshot next to his shotgun and Beretta, as well as a smoke grenade. Kiritsugu pulled the Ithaca M37 out, and inspected the barrel for signs of rust.

Designed by John Browning and used by the United States military in the Second World War and Vietnam, the design was reliable and battle tested, and popular among left handed hunters due to the shells loading and ejecting out of the bottom of the shotgun. The model Kiritsugu held now was cut down to the extreme, with only a 33 centimeter barrel and the stock sawed off into a pistol grip. The upside was that with a bit of work, he could hide it under his coat, and the gun slamfired, allowing Kiritsugu to fire the Ithaca as fast as he could rack the slide to chamber a new shell. The downside was that it would kick like a mule without a stock to allow his shoulder to take the impact instead, and firing it from the hip would likely break his wrist. Kiritsugu moved the slide back and forth slightly. It moved smoothly with a little effort. It would be fine.

Kiritsugu placed it back in the crawlspace gently, and picked up the boxes of 9mm and the empty magazines, and round by round, filled them to capacity. It wouldn't do to be caught in the middle of a fight without anything to shoot. A quick run to the shed got his Contender and Origin Bullets in the space as well, and Kiritsugu practiced loading and reloading his mystic code for the better part of an hour, before he felt satisfied he could do it quickly without thinking. Next, he field stripped each firearm in the space, cleaning the barrels, checking for rust, and oiling up moving parts. Then, the knife. It slid from the sheath easily, and Kiritsugu ran his finger gently against the edge of the blade. A drop of crimson blood came from a cut the well forged steel effortlessly made on his finger. Still sharp. Kiritsugu wiped the blade clean on the cloth before sheathing it. He stashed his Thomson in the crawlspace along with the Origin Bullets, before replacing the floorboards and placing the mats back into position – though he kept them unhooked, just in case.

-

The rest of the day passed quickly. The time Shirou was supposed to be home came, and went. Half an hour passed that time, and Kiritsugu, until the door opened.

"Dad, Saber?"

"In the living room Shirou!" Kiritsugu called out, muting a special on lions he and Saber had been silently watching together. Shirou walked in, and took a seat between his father and Shirou.

"I'm wondering if someone can visit."

"Oh? Who?" Kiritsugu said, unmuting the television.

"Ilyasviel von Einzbern."

The previously cheerful atmosphere became turbulent. The narrator talked about how the female lions were the most ferocious, and the ones who did all the hunting. No one was listening.  
_  
Ilya is here… _

Kiritsugu couldn't speak. Did she come for him? Shirou was fine, that much was sure. She hadn't harmed him.

"I refuse." Saber's voice came out loud and clear. "To invite her into the house is tantamount to committing suicide for you Shirou."  
_  
Ilya is here…_

"But Ilya doesn't have Berserker with her, and she's promised not to fight until nighttime. She'll be gone before then."  
_  
Ilya is here…_

"Her family exists to obtain the Grail, something Kiritsugu denied them. Do you really think she will let you or him live if she gets inside?"  
_  
Ilya is _here_…_

"I'm not sure if she's like the other Einzberns, but at least give her a chance Saber. She's a nice girl when you get to know her."  
_  
Ilya is _HERE_!_

"Let her in." Kiritsugu's voice nearly broke with the strain of those three words. They were nearly inaudible, but the pure emotion behind them brought more impact than a yell ever could. "Let her in Shirou. I approve."

Saber gritted her teeth. "I don't think I can hold myself back if she's in front of me. I will be in the guest room."

Shirou walked outside, and Kiritsugu slumped against the wall by the entryway. Ilya was here. Ten years. Ten long years. The door opened and a little girl in a purple coat entered…

-

This is what it is like to be Ilyasviel von Einzbern.  
Your heart thumps faster and faster. Everything you have learned says to run away from this tall man man in front of you. That he is a ruthless savage, who betrayed you and your family. That you must kill him, before he kills you. That he hates you. That he never loved you. That he killed your mother and fled. But your heart and instinct tells you something else.

You see how he is slouched slightly, breathing harder than you remember him ever doing. How his eyes are full of tears. How he walks slowly and with purpose. You close your eyes. Grandfather always told you that he would kill you if given the chance. You know that you can't summon Berserker – not because the command spells that cover your entire body wouldn't allow you to do such, but because you are too scared to do so. Your entire body is trembling. You sense death and darkness coming off the man that was your father like a tidal wave. You hear the sound of fabric rubbing together as he draws closer. Then you feel pressure, but no pain. You feel wetness on your shoulder running down your back. Is this what death feels like? Warm and wet? And then you hear the sobs. Your eyes open, and your father is holding you and crying, something you have never seen him do.  
And you begin to cry as well.

-

This is what it is like to be Kiritsugu Emiya.  
It is pure bliss, for your daughter is in your arms again.

-

Ilya left with Shirou shortly after tour of the house. She seemed happy. Despite the fact that she had told Kiritsugu that it was her duty to kill him, he'd enjoyed the hour of happiness he'd had with her. His little girl was still little. That, while not unexpected, nearly broke his heart. He'd hoped she'd grow to be like her mother, hoped despite the fact that his mind had told him the chances of that were close to zero. And now, well. There would be no avoiding explaining his connection to the Einzberns to Shirou now. In full detail this time.

The ache Kiritsugu had in his gut since Ilya left the turned into an overwhelming sense of pain. He stumbled upwards from his seat at the table, before falling down, his legs unable to respond to his demands, but he pulled himself forward as bile rose up his throat. The bathroom door was open, and he yanked himself above the toilet before vomiting. Blood and a black liquid, along with the rice he'd had for breakfast and lunch filled the bowl. As he painted, the disgusting mixture dripping from the edges of his mouth in strands, the pain within his abdomen receded.  
_  
That was the worst attack yet._

The curse was killing him. He couldn't tell what it had damaged this time. It was moving faster than he'd anticipated. Weakly, he flushed the sick down, and pulled his shaking legs under him, wiping his face off with a wet towel. He took a second to regard himself in the mirror. The man who looked back was in desperate need of a shave, and looked like he'd been hit by a bus. Several times. Then by several more busses. Several more times. The man grinned.

Kiritsugu walked out of the bathroom slowly, fearing he might somehow trigger a second round of vomiting. He entered the living room to a sight he'd been expecting for some time.

"It's about time you made a move Shirou."

His son literally jumped a foot in the air. Sakura's arms slid off from around his neck, and the girl slowly slipped back to the ground, falling to sleep as soon as her head touches the ground again.

"This isn't what it looks like!"

"Oh?" Kiritsugu grinned. "You weren't just about to reach first base?"

"No!"

"Really?"

"Really! I was grabbing a blanket for her and she –"

"Shirou. Just remember, if anything happens, name it after me."

Shirou looked about ready to die from embarrassment when Saber walked in.

"Is Ilya gon –"

"Can't talk now Dad gottatrainbye!" Shirou said, grabbing Saber by the arm and dragging her back towards the dojo and the outbuilding as fast as he could. Saber's shocked expression turned into a dangerous grin as she looked back at Kiritsugu. Shirou wasn't getting out of a punishment for inviting Ilya into the house from her.

Sakura stirred slightly, and Kiritsugu adjusted the blanket to cover her more fully. Taking a seat on the other side of the table, he began thinking about what he would tell Shirou later. And perhaps more importantly, what he wouldn't.

-

"I suppose you want to know everything Shirou?" Kiritsugu said, shortly after Sakura headed to bed. She seemed out of sorts. Her cold was apparently coming back somewhat from what he could tell.

"Yes. What you should have told me since the very beginning."

"I've already told you about the fact that the Einzberns hired me for something, and I screwed it up. The job was winning the Holy Grail War. They gave me everything I needed, all the equipment, all the information, the strongest Servant. But the most important thing I gained from them was my wife, Irisviel von Einzbern." Kiritsugu sighed. "Our relationship was doomed from the beginning. She died during the Fourth War. Ilya, I'm sure you've already figured out, is my daughter. After the war, they shut me off as I had failed to obtain the Grail. They cut all contact with me, and prevented every attempt I made to take Ilya out of their hands and back here, to Fuyuki."

"Ilya seems to well, want to kill you and I..." Shirou said, shifting slightly in his seat.

"Acht, the Einzbern head, is not a forgiving man. Having Ilya kill me would be the ultimate punishment for my betrayal in his eyes. You're just an afterthought for him, I think."

"Ah." Shirou eyed the clock. "It's about time to for me to go out."

"I'm coming with tonight."

"What?"

"I'm not letting you go it alone anymore. This is much my war as yours now."

"But you don't have a Servant!"

"And? I can still fight Masters. I've got much more experience in that field than you do."

Shirou frowned slightly. "Alright. Just be careful Dad."

"Great. Give me a second to get some things."

Kiritsugu grabbed his coat and headed into his room. He popped open the crawlspace storage compartment, and slipped on a shoulder rig, placing the Beretta inside after chambering a round. The shotgun came next, a shell racked into the chamber, strapped into a custom sling Kiritsugu had made himself for carrying it under his coat while allowing him to easily draw and fire it. Kiritsugu eyed the Contender, pausing. He'd be fighting alongside Saber, a threat that most Magi would immediately focus on, and utterly fail to damage. Combine that with Shirou's own near impossibility to kill with Avalon implanted within his body, he wouldn't need to use an Origin Bullet to kill them. A blast from his twelve gauge or a burst from his Raffica would be more than enough to kill them while they were focusing on the more obvious targets, or the very least provide a fatal distraction that Saber could exploit. Kiritsugu took the knife, about to attach the sheath next to the folding blade he had left in the coat from yesterday, but paused.

Shirou before now had been unarmed, and relying on Saber for protection. He needed something at the very least with which to defend himself just in case. The combat knife would more than qualify. Kiritsugu closed up the storage space, and walked back out to the living room, where Shirou and Saber were waiting.

"Here."

Kiritsugu tossed the sheathed knife to Shirou underhanded, and the teenager caught it in both hands. "I thought you might need a little extra something."  
Shirou unsheathed the knife, and took a look at it before sheathing it and shoving it across the table back towards Kiritsugu.

"I have Saber. I think I'll be fine."

Kiritsugu shoved it straight back.

"Take it anyway. Just in case. I'd rather you have it and not need it, than not have it and need it."

Shirou sighed, but pocketed the knife. The trio left the Emiya household, Saber in the front with Shirou while Kiritsugu took up the rear. It didn't take long for Saber to notice something.

"Servant to the east, about five minutes away."

"Will we wait here, or go in for a closer look?" Kiritsugu began to ask, but Shirou was already running with Saber towards the other Servant. Kiritsugu took off after them, trailing slightly due to the extra weight he was carrying.

-

Archer's swords whirled through the air, cutting the tiny monstrosities down before they could reach Rin, who was readying her gems behind him, and destroying those who got past his defenses and attacked her. Zouken Matou stood clutching his cane and smiling a grim smile in the shade of a tree about thirty meters in front of Archer. The old magus's familiars buzzed and chittered around him, writhing within the shadows and launching themselves at the opposing Master and Servant in nearly unpredictable patterns. With each attack however, the gap between the Servant and Master widened ever so slightly.

Archer knew what Zouken's plan was. Rin would run out of energy before he did. And when she ran out, she would die. The old magus's familiars would tear her to pieces, and with her no longer supplying prana, Zouken hoped that Archer would simply fade away. Archer couldn't let that happen. His mind cycled through the blades he had available. Tyrfling was out of the question, Rin would likely end up a casualty. And in any case, the only Servant he would be able to use the blade to its full effectiveness on would be Berserker. Joyeuse was also not an option; though the color shifting blade would undoubtedly rip Zouken in half with a single stroke even if he threw up a barrier field, as he would need to close in leaving Rin vulnerable. Tizona might be his best option, but there was no guarantee that the monstrosities would be vulnerable to the firestorm it would produce, and the same went for Zouken. If push came to shove though, he would Break the blade and hope for the best.

Another attack from the familiars came. Kanshou and Bakuya danced in his hands, eagerly cutting the insects down with a glee. Slaying monsters was what made his blades the happiest it seemed. A slight switch in his head was flicked as clear fluid splattered against his boots and armor. Another Servant was approaching, and fast. Likely a scavenger hoping to finish off Rin and himself after they dealt with Zouken.

Rin's voice however, proved that reality could be even worse than his imagination. "Shirou?"

So. He was here finally. Archer stole a quick glance. Shirou stood next to Saber, her armor shining in the moonlight like the first night. Excalibur was still covered in Invisible Air, and he could trace the outline of the blade in his mind through the distorting wind. And moving to take cover behind a bench was –

"Kiritsugu?"

Archer's voice came unbidden from his lips, too soft for Rin to hear. His mind traced the familiar coat, and noted the bulges, and then traced those as well. Weapons. Quality weapons, well made and not yet used. His father was at the very least not defenseless, though he obviously was outmatched. Then again, he had killed a Servant in the last war. Was Kiritsugu hoping to repeat the feat tonight with him?

Zouken's coughing laugh brought Archer back to reality. "So. It looks like you prepared backup Tohsaka. Wise for one of your age to think ahead so far, but I would not have thought you would get one of such notoriety though."

"I don't need backup to deal with you. Archer and I can easily handle you on our own. They'll need to do nothing but watch."

A grunt of annoyance came from the mage. "I had hoped I would not need this so soon. But I fear I cannot stand alone." His cane pounded the ground before him, and a specter of what should have been dead and gone rose up from the earth in front of him. A purple and dark blue-green robe, edged in gold thread materialized, and the stench of death grew even stronger. Caster.

Archer heard a gasp of shock and anger from Saber behind him, and a shifting of fabric from behind the park bench where Kiritsugu was keeping himself concealed.

"You would make a hero's corpse your puppet?" Saber began, and Archer listened to her soft footsteps and the creak of her gauntlets as she tensed and advanced.

"Not a corpse. Trash. Cut down without even a chance to act. And I will do the same to you as I did to this one. The strongest Servant is a much better puppet than a dead witch."

Archer stiffened involuntarily. He knew Saber well enough to know her reaction to such a promise. As she charged though, all hell broke loose.

-

It came from the shadows. Its torn cloak fluttered in the light breeze as it sprang through the air smelling of death and decay, claws extending and form shifting and writhing under its covering cloth. The white skull mask was splashed with crimson drops as Shirou was slashed across the back with razor sharp claws, and his throat ripped open with a bloody gurgle as he turned around to stab his assailant with the combat knife he had materialized in his hands. He collapsed to the ground, blood starting to form a pool around her. Kiritsugu didn't panic. It happened too fast for panic to begin. He simply observed. Saber's charge was met by a barrage of magic as she slowed in dawning horror at the trap being sprung. Archer's red shroud fluttered as he paused in mid stride, unsure which opponent to attack first.

Assassin was in his element. Surprise had been obtained, and he had drawn blood – his son's blood – with his first strike. The mask shifted to actual bone as the Servant's jaws opened to reveal a mass of razor sharp teeth as he turned his head towards Rin who in gazed on in horror, as the shadowy assailant began to lunge, jaws distended and jet black claws stained with red. Kiritsugu raised the Ithaca, took a millisecond to aim, and fired. The shotgun roared out fire and hot lead, and Assassin howled in pain as the buckshot ripped apart more of his cloak, and a chunk of his head. Brain matter and bonefragments flew out with a pink mist. He turned back towards Kiritsugu, shattered bone and torn flesh reknitting itself back together in nearly no time at all. This however, was time enough for Archer. A red blur smashed into Assassin's side, and blood flew through the air, splattering Kiritsugu. An arm landed next to him, still writhing, its horrible claws as long as his middle finger. He pumped the action of the M37, ejecting the spent shell, finger on the trigger and with another roar, the shotgun blasted the arm. It stopped moving. He cycled the action agin. One more shell left in the tube.

Archer gave no time for his opponent to recover. Black and white short swords flashed in the darkness, cutting into Assassin as fast as he could regenerate flesh, and crippled as he was, Assassin couldn't do anything more than defend. Blood flew through the air, a sanguine mist enveloping all it touched. The barrage of spells aimed at Saber didn't even dent her armor, and gritting her teeth and screaming a cry of rage, She charged and Excalibur tore through the corpse of Caster. The second swing cleaved Zouken in half across the middle. Assassin cried with pain, and went into spirit form, fleeing before Archer could finish him off.

Kiritsugu vaulted the bench, moving towards Zouken as Saber hurried back to the groaning Shirou on the ground. Rin followed her, still looking to be in a state of shock, panic spreading across her features. Archer flicked the blood from his blades, and walked over towards Zouken. Entrails spilling from his upper body, the magus crawled away from the scene, as fast as his arms could carry him. Kiritsugu and Archer strolled up behind him. Archer broke the silence between himself and the former Master.

"Yours or mine?"

"Mine."

"You don't seem concerned about Shirou."

"He'll live. He's taken worse injuries."

Blood covered the pavement and grass where Zouken had crawled away. Kiritsugu stepped forward, and brought his foot down hard on the old mage's back. Bones crunched satisfyingly beneath it.

"This is the end." Kiritsugu said, pressing the shotgun against the back of Zouken's head. His finger began to pull back on the trigger, his arm tensed bracing for the inevitable recoil – and something entered the park that made him stumble back from its mere existence.

He could faintly hear Zouken's voice crying out, a single word repeated over and over, growing fainter as he moved away. Archer stands like a statue, his eyes narrowed and hair standing up. Saber and Rin pause over Shirou kneeling on the ground, eyes fixed on the entity that just entered the scene. The street lights flickered and died. The moon illuminated it, gloriously dark and disturbingly beautiful, in the way one would view a deadly serpent. The Shadow walked forward, a familiar feeling coming over Kiritsugu as it did so. It was oh so familiar, yet just out of reach of his mind where he had experienced it before, like his mind instinctively wanted him to ignore it to keep him sane and alive. Saber began dragging Shirou back, and Rin rose up, staring at the Shadow.

"RIN!"

Archer moved as fast as he possibly could towards his Master, but it is not fast enough. A tendril lanced out towards Rin, catching her before she had time to dodge. She arched her back and screamed in pain before it receded along with the entity, and she collapsed to the ground.  
Kiritsugu sprinted over towards her, sliding the safety of the shotgun into the on position and slipping it back into its sling as he and Archer reach her prone form. Archer checked her pulse with an eerie calm.

"She's still alive. Still breathing."

Rin's eyelids fluttered open.

-

Rin could hear the voices above her as her head pounded.

"-ing back with you to her place. Saber and Shirou are going straight home, and you could use an escort."  
_  
Is that –_

Her vision cleared, and two faces came into focus. Archer knelt over her, looking into her eyes with concern, while Kiritsugu looked slightly ill at ease towards her Servant. Both were splattered with blood, though Archer seemed practically coated in it.

"She's awake." Archer said, relief obvious on his face.

"Great. Then we won't have to carry her." Kiritsugu extended an arm down towards Rin.

Rin weakly extended a hand upwards, and Kiritsugu gripped it and pulled her up with a slight grunt of effort. Rin doubled over and vomited on Kiritsugu's shoes.

"Are you alright Tohsaka?" Kiritsugu asked, shaking his shoes off. Rin looked at him incredulously.  
_  
Do I look alright? _She felt like a semi-truck had just ran over her head. The world was spinning.

Shirou stumbled over towards the others, leaning on Saber for support. "What was that thing?"

"That is what has been draining the town since Caster's death." Archer said, as Rin wiped sick from her mouth on the edge of her sleeve.

"How long was I out?" Rin asked, straightening up and attempting to regain her usual elegance. It didn't work. Her head still pounded and the…_things_ she had seen made her want to throw up again. That wasn't right though. She was the heir to the Tohsaka, she shouldn't be physically ill at the prospect of those… _things_.

"About ten seconds." Kiritsugu reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. He lit one, and took a long drag which he exhaled slowly, collecting his thoughts. "We should get moving."

Sirens could be heard in the distance. The sound of gunfire obviously hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Shirou, Saber, go right back home. Clean yourself up Shirou, make sure everything is intact or healing. I'll get rid of the ruined shirt, don't worry about that. Rin." Kiritsugu took a pause, and took another drag. "I'm escorting you home. Archer is a lot more conspicuous than I am. Would be a pity for a mugger to do you in at this point."

Rin would have argued, but she felt too tired to even speak.

"No objections? Good."

Kiritsugu dropped the cigarette and ground it out with his boot heel.

"Then let's get moving."

The walk back to her house was a blur for Rin. She vaguely remembered using Kiritsugu for support, and had no idea how she disabled the wards to her doorway. Rin collapsed in the nearest armchair as soon as she got home. As she fell asleep, a conversation between her Servant and Shirou's father began, and she struggled to stay awake long enough to listen to the whole thing.

"I'm going after Zouken tomorrow."

"Hmm. Risky. His house is likely well defended."

"That's why I want you with me, if it's possible. Archer's have the Independent Action skill. It shouldn't be a problem for you to assist me."

"No. It wouldn't."

"I didn't expect it to be. Will you come with?"

"Of course. We need to finish the job."

-

Kiritsugu arrived home to Sakura fretting over Shirou, seemingly in a state of shock at the amount of blood spilled all over his front. She had her arms around him, and seemed to be holding on to him as if to confirm he wasn't about to fall apart. She was crying slightly.

Kiritsugu took off his coat and boots. Shirou glanced at him, frowning at the weaponry he carried. Kiritsugu ignored him, and took out a wet wipe and began to clean the dried vomit off of his boots, as well as the blood from his coat.

"How long has she been like this?"

"Since she saw the shirt." Shirou said, and Sakura clutched him even tighter to her chest.

"Oh. Where's Saber?"

"Sleeping I think."  
Kiritsugu cleaned in silence for the next couple of minutes placing his weapons back into storage before coming back into the living room. Sakura had stopped crying, and was now just holding tightly onto Shirou, who was returning the gesture with a conviction.

"Shirou. Go get yourself cleaned up. Take a bath or something."

Shirou nodded, and delicately took Sakura's arms off of him. She looked absolutely miserable, and averted her eyes from Kiritsugu's as he took Shirou's seat. Her hands had some of Shirou's still wet blood on them, and her blouse and skirt were obviously going to be stained. Kiritsugu wasn't really sure what to say.

"Are you alright?"

Sakura nodded. Her eyes were still fixed to the table top, and the now drying blood.

"I'm really sorry you had to see this."

Sakura continued looking at the table.

"Sights like that might be common around here for the next week. Are you sure you want to stay?"

"I don't want to leave Sempai." Sakura's voice was little more than a whisper.

"Alright. And remember, if you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask me. I'll always be here if you need me. I promise."

"Will Sempai be alright?"

"He'll be fine. He heals fast. Something like that won't slow him down."

"But he still got hurt!"

Sakura's eyes finally met Kiritsugu's. There was a strength in them, hard amethyst standing up against sharp obsidian. "How can you be so casual about something like that?"

"I've seen worse."

"When? Where? All the blood, all down his front –"

"Many many times. He's alive isn't he?"

"Yes, but-"

"That's what matters. Nothing else matters."

Sakura frowned.

"That seems awfully cold."

"It is, isn't it?" Kiritsugu paused a second, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "I guess that's what made me stop being a hero. Shirou was alive, and that was all that mattered."

-

Deep within the park, Zouken Matou ate, his mind racing as the screams of his victim faded.

Kiritsugu Emiya.

This was the man who was from now on, his enemy. His son was the Master, and somehow had survived the mauling Assassin gave him. He was a veteran of the last war, and a notorious assassin. He was ruthless, well prepared, and tonight had almost killed him. He had almost killed his physical body at least. There was still a bit of him in the vessel he had prepared. But every man had his weakness. He would find it. It wasn't his son that much was certain. Kiritsugu hadn't even blinked when Assassin had murdered him. Was it the Tohsaka girl? No. That did not make sense. Was it Saber? No. He had not cared about her in the last round, and this one would be no different. He would find it. He would find Emiya's weakness, and tear him apart.

Assassin's skull mask formed into view meters away, shining like a second moon in the darkness.

"So m-m-m-m-master, you are like me?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Not truly h-h-h-human." Assassin grinned, the flesh below his mask ripping to make way for jaws and teeth.

"My soul is as human as it can be. It is merely old. I cannot maintain a body without feeding for much longer than a month now, and sunlight is like poison to my old bones."

Assassin cackled. "Like me. Something n-n-n-not belonging to the w-w-w-world. Two who eat the f-f-f-f-flesh of their fellows to live on."

Assassin's macabre grin grew wider. "Truly, you a-a-a-a-are the best suited to be my M-M-M-Master."

With a one armed bow, Assassin faded away into the night, the after image of his grinning mask seemingly suspended in midair.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: I thank you all for your reviews and continued support. Chapter 10 is nearly finished, despite life conspiring to kick me in the balls each time I try to expand on it. Combine this with planning for a game I plan on running, some family issues, school, and my general lazy attitude, and you start to see the problem._

_Anyway, this is the chapter I honestly feel less confident about, partly due to my adhering closer to canon in its' aftermath than I likely should have done. This, along with an honestly iffy feeling about how best to have Archer and Kiritsugu interact even as I wrote this, and I feel this is probably going to be a chapter where some people are going to feel disappointed, and I apologize ahead of time for that. As usual, any and all feedback is welcome, as the 'don't like don't read' attitude sabatoges writers more effectively than a troll on novacoke with a battleaxe going apeshit on his hard drive._

Kiritsugu padded into the living room silently around seven. He'd slept in, entirely by accident. Shirou and Sakura were already at school, and Sakura had left a note saying his and Saber's lunches were in the fridge. Kiritsugu pulled out the bread and the toaster, and a couple of minutes and some butter later, was munching away on his breakfast while scanning the newspaper. The headline was about 30 new coma incidents. The Shadow was busy, it seemed. He reached what he was looking for, hidden on the second page. It was a short article and it seemed to barely merit a mention in the paper.

**Shots Fired, Blood Found at Fuyuki Memorial Park**  
An incident occurred early this morning, as reports of gunfire came in from the residential area surrounding the Fuyuki Memorial Park. The park was dedicated to the memory of those lost in the fire that occurred in the residential area ten years ago, killing over 500 people. Police say that blood and other bodily fluids were discovered, along with casings from a twelve gauge shotgun. The Fuyuki City Police Department has denied any Yakuza involvement in the case, or any connection to the murders that occurred last week, or the recent coma incidents. "We're treating this as an isolated occurrence," the designated spokesperson informed our reporter.

Kiritsugu folded the paper back up with a sigh. This was turning into a mess of epic proportions. He'd have to contact Raiga and get him to start destroying evidence – if the Yakuza boss wasn't doing so already. Something else nagged at the back of his mind, something he might need later, and just in case he couldn't infiltrate the Matou estate, and if that Shadow returned. A relic from ten years ago, still in storage… Kiritsugu irritatingly found he could not remember what it was. Something important though, and possibly – No, assuredly – very useful, that much was for sure. He'd need to talk to Raiga soon.  
He shoved it out of his mind as he scavenged through the cupboards for some cereal, finally setting on Corn Flakes. Breakfast out of the way, Kiritsugu grabbed his coat and returned to his room, prying open the crawlspace and pulling out the shotgun. He shoved a shell into the action, closed it, and reloaded the Ithaca to full capacity. Slinging it under his coat, he moved the Thomson into his shoulder holster, after chambering one of his Origin Bullets. Adjusting his coat and making sure everything was in place, he headed out to the shed. Kiritsugu retrieved the M16A3, slapped in a magazine, and pulled the charging handle back and chambered a round before shoving it into a duffel bag. He checked his watch. Ten minutes until Archer arrived. Another magazine went into the duffel bag, and Kiritsugu zipped it up, slung it over his shoulder, and prepared to leave. A shadow blocked his path.

"Where are you going?" Saber said, her diminutive figure raised to its full height, arms crossed and a stern look on her face.

"To end something before it gets out of hand," Kiritsugu said.

"Zouken."

"What else?"

"That's suicide isn't it? He has a Servant."

"Archer is coming with. He wants Zouken dead as much as I do. Assassin cannot be allowed to strike Rin, or Shirou again."

Saber sighed, and turned her back on Kiritsugu. "Try not to die then. Shirou will be most upset if you do." She said, as she walked away, back towards the dojo. Kiritsugu allowed himself a slight smile. Coming from Saber, that was a ringing endorsement for what he was about to do.

* * *

Archer leaned against the outer wall of his old home. This place brought back memories, pleasant ones at that. Kiritsugu walked out of the front door with a bag in hand. Archer began tracing out of habit the structures under his coat and in the bag. This action had saved his life more than once before.

_Under the coat, a shotgun from yesterday and a break action pistol with some sort of Code in it. Rifle in the bag, several magazines. No explosives. _  
"Are you ready to go?" said Archer, stepping away from the wall and towards his adoptive father.

"I'm ready," Kirtsugu said, and the two walked towards the Matou mansion. The streets were barren, and echoed the footsteps of the two men as they ascended the hills of the residential district. Everyone was either indoors, or at work or school. The residential district was a literal ghost town.

"How is Rin doing?"

"Fine. She threw up again this morning, but she says she's alright. I think last night shook her. So what's the plan?"

"Kick in the door. You take care of Assassin, I kill Zouken. Should take twenty minutes maximum, if everything goes according to plan."

"And if it doesn't?"

"I die."

"And I won't?"

"You can walk through walls. Once you get outside, it's free game for you; Assassin would not risk a fight in broad daylight."

"I might still have to deal with several barrier fields."

"I forgot about those. Stupid oversight, Zouken would obviously want as much protection as possible. Do you think you have enough power to blast through the wards as well as Assassin if it comes to that?"

"Probably, but that would raise too much attention. Change of plans then?"

"Looks like it." Kiritsugu kicked a rock on the street. It clattered into the gutter. "If there are fields, they are probably rigged to the door. If it is opened, the fields will likely be disabled as well, assuming that they are offensive and not surveillance fields."

"So I'm going to kick in the door, hope my magic resistance protects me from any assault, and you'll go in guns blazing?"

"Right."

The Matou mansion came into view then, looking forbidding even in the morning sun. The pair walked towards the front lawn, both their heads on a swivel. Archer began to rifle through his armory, calmly regarding the blades in his inventory as a craftsman would a tool, searching for the best one. He stepped onto the path, detecting a slight field around the house, more for warning than to prevent intrusion. No hostile magic was directed towards the Counter Guardian. The way was surprisingly enough, clear. He motioned for Kiritsugu to move up towards the door.

Kiritsugu strolled up towards the front of the Matou house, unzipped the duffel bag, pulled out the M16A3, set it to "rock and roll" in a single fluid motion. Archer materialized his armor, and kicked in the door. Raising the assault rifle to his shoulder Kiritsugu quickly scanned the entrance room, finger on the side of the trigger guard.

"Clear."

Kiritsugu advanced into the dimly lit house as quietly as he could.

"Archer. Do you sense anything?"

It was a low chance, and one Kiritsugu didn't expect to happen, but if Assassin had dropped his concealment while in the lair of his Master, perhaps they could catch Zouken off guard and on the defensive.

"Nothing."

Of course, Assassin could simply be waiting to strike in the shadows.

"Zouken?"

"I can't feel a magus around anywhere. Shouldn't you be able to sense someone like him?"

"I am not too good at sensing other magi." Kiritsugu said, entering the dining room. A memory of interrogating one of the Matou here resurfaced, but he ignored it. He was here again searching for something else. In any case, the bloodstains and bullet holes would be long gone by now. He moved on to the next room

Empty. So was the next. And the one after that. And after that. The entire first floor was devoid of life. The pair went up the stairs, eyes searching every shadow for signs of life. Nothing. The house was as silent as the grave. Archer's cloak rustled around him as he reached out and grabbed Kiritsugu by the shoulder.

"I found something. A hidden door."

"Where?"

Archer knocked against a wall panel. A hollow noise could be heard.

"Here."

Kiritsugu turned around, and knocked against the wall. It was hollow, just like Archer had said. He ran his offhand along the wall looking for the handle.

"How did you find this?"

"Call it a hunch."

Kiritsugu saw the slight smirk in Archers otherwise impassive face. The Servant was obviously hiding the actual reason he knew about the door from him. The actual reason didn't matter. Kiritsugu wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth at this point. A latch clicked, and the wall swung inward.  
The smell of death and decay wafted up, a stench that Kiritsugu knew well. The damp air made him gag somewhat, and a horrible taste was left in his mouth. Stone stairs lead downward, likely to the basement. Kiritsugu gestured to Archer.

"You first."

The steps were slick with moisture, and Kiritsugu feared slipping. That would be an ironic way for the Magus Killer to die, defeated not with magic or by a curse, but by a single misstep. The light turned a murky green as the pair descended into the depths of the mansion. Archer's boots clanked against the stone with each step, counterpointing Kiritsugu's intentionally subdued footsteps. The smell of death grew stronger. Finally, the pair reached what could only be called a crypt.

Holes to place bodies in lined the walls, and the sounds of insects could be heard from the interior of each of the cavities. They sang in the dark to each other, a discordant and off tune melody. Kiritsugu's hair started to stand on end, and he gripped the M16A3 tighter in his hands. Worms writhed on the floor around a cage and chains in the center of the chamber below, a mass of disgusting flesh, spines, and teeth. Whatever this room was, it had seen more sorrow than joy. That much was obvious.

"Archer. Could you get some gasoline from the garage?"

The red clad warrior looked at Kiritsugu curiously, before nodding.

"I can. For what though?"

"I'm going to burn this place until nothing but ashes are left."

The pair ascended the staircase, separating to head into two separate areas of the first floor. Kiritsugu entered the kitchen. He found a bottle of sake, long necked, and uncorked it, spilling its contents down the drain. Ripping a dishrag up, he tied it around the neck, hefting it in his hands. This would do nicely. Archer walked in behind him, holding a jerry can. Kiritsugu poured the gasoline carefully into the bottle up to the bottom of the neck, wiping up whatever spilled with the end of the rag. Shoving the can back to Archer, he walked back upstairs, pulling out his lighter. Kiritsugu went back into the passage, and into the chamber of death. He flicked the lighter, holding it up towards the end of the rag. It lit in a second, the gas soaked rag burning brightly. Kiritsugu hefted the bottle, and then with all his strength chucked it down into the pit. It shattered.

Gasoline covered the worms and was set alight by the burning rag. An inferno lit the darkness, spreading over the Matou familiars. The smell of burning flesh and the hissing and popping of boiling insects and worms filled the room as Kiritsugu lit a cigarette, and walked up and out of the room. He shut the door behind him, before the smoke could escape into the house proper. Nothing would live down there after this. Only ashes would remain. Ashes, and the stench of death.

"Archer. I'm done. Let's go. Zouken either wasn't here, or slipped out before we found him."

"Not just yet Kiritsugu. I smell a rat."

Kiritsugu looked over the banisters of the main staircase to see Archer kick in another wall, and drag a squirming Shinji Matou out by the neck of his jacket.

* * *

Shinji had decided to stay home from school this day. Yesterday had been bad enough, what with his broken nose and bruises. He wouldn't let Shirou gloat over his misfortunes. Why he had stuck up for his slut of a sister was beyond him. He'd heard the door being kicked in, and scrambled into the secret passageway in the atrium to hide and observe. Shinji had not however, expected to be found.

The white haired and tan skinned man held him tightly, a black sword raised to his neck. Shirou's father walked down the staircase, holding a black rifle, an empty bag slung over his shoulder. A cigarette was held in the corner of his mouth, smoke rising from the glowing tip. The jacket he was wearing bulged in odd places as he moved.

"Shinji. Do you know where your grandfather is?"

"No. I haven't seen him all day."

The sword to his neck moved back somewhat. Shirou's father cursed under his breath. "I should have expected that. Your father knew nothing about your uncle as well. Shirou's a much better mage than you in your grandfather's eyes it seems. Archer, let him go."

"What are you –"  
Kiritsugu punched Shinji in the jaw, hard. Shinji's vision turned black as he hit the ground.

"I'm getting soft…" was the last thing that Shinji heard before he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

The two men walked out of the Matou manor, Kiritsugu shoving his assault rifle back into the bag after ejecting the chambered round and removing the magazine. Archer dematerialized his swords and armor, and the two headed back to the Emiya household.

"That was a disappointment," Kiritsugu said. His cigarette had already burned down, and he discarded it with a look of disgust.

"I'm surprised you spared Shinji."

"He's not a threat. Besides, Shirou wouldn't feed me if I killed him. I have a thing against starving to death."

"So, your reason for sparing his life is food?"

"Partly. I don't like killing. It is necessary sometimes, but it is not something I enjoy."

"Neither do I." Archer said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking up into the sky. "But killing one man to save a thousand, is that a good trade?"

"Ten years ago, I would have done that in a heartbeat. Now, I think it would depend on the man. I've gotten soft."

"I wouldn't say you've gotten soft. I would say you've gotten wise."

Kiritsugu chuckled. "It took far too long for that to happen."

"Wisdom is never earned soon enough."

"You sound like you speak from experience."

"I do." The bitterness in Archer's voice was a story in and of itself. The details of the story weren't something that Kiritsugu could know from it, but he could tell its basic plot: a tragedy in three parts.

The rest of the walk to the Emiya household was done in silence, Archer dematerializing without a backwards glance as Kiritsugu returned to his home.

* * *

"Alright. Heads, Sakura cooks. Tails, Shirou cooks. If it lands on its side, Saber and I will cook. So pray that won't happen. Agreed?" Kiritsugu said.

"Agreed." Shirou and Sakura nodded their heads. Saber sat quietly at the table, eyes closed as if in meditation. Kiritsugu believed she was just relaxing.

The ten yen coin flipped up in the air over and over. Kiritsugu snatched it out of the air, and smacked it onto the top of his other palm.

"Tails."

Shirou did a slight fist pump. Sakura looked slightly unhappy but settled down quietly as Shirou pulled on his apron and lit the stove. The aroma of meat being cooked began wafting into the kitchen as Kiritsugu adjusted his seat and turned towards Sakura.

"So. Where's Fuji been the last couple of days?"

"Busy." Sakura said. "She's been dealing with a lot lately. Some students have collapsed, and there were those murders last week. Everyone is really on edge."

"I don't blame them."

"Neither do I. So how was your day?"

"Nothing special. Took a walk. Met a friend. Ate lunch. Took a nap. Not much to talk about. You?"

"Oh. Um… I did nothing special either, just a test and some other things. Do you want any tea?" Sakura asked, getting up from the table.

"I'm fine. Saber?"

"Some tea would be lovely Sakura," the former king said, opening her eyes. Sakura headed over to the kitchen, and after some slight banter with Shirou that Kiritsugu wasn't able to make out she put the kettle on, pulled out an apron, and started helping Shirou out with the meal. When the kettle whistled, she poured out two cups and set them in front of Saber and Kiritsugu before bustling back to help Shirou again. Kiritsugu smiled to himself, sipping the unwanted but not unwelcome tea. He would truly miss things like this.

* * *

Assassin watched and waited on the crest of the mountain temple. The wind was cold, though nothing like the winters up in the mountains where he had lived. For that matter, the air was thicker here as well. Assassin's cloak was now just a tattered remnant blowing in the breeze; he hadn't bothered providing the required energy to restore it to its full form. His meals were filling, but his Master had directly forbidden any unnecessary expenditures of Prana. There might not have been a command spell behind the order, but Assassin was by nature loyal. It was a concept he had enforced at the end of a blade many times among subordinates who had thought him weak, and generals that had offended rulers by bedding the wrong woman. It was also a tenant he had broken only once, to claim his place as Old Man of the Mountain.

Loyalty would also be the doom of the two they were facing. His eyes had already picked out the approaching pair, the redheaded mage that he'd ripped the throat out of, and the mage's Servant, the blonde haired green-eyed woman with the windy sword. He felt his Master's familiars conveying messages to each other and their controller.

_Prepare Assassin. They come._

As if he didn't know already.

Assassin willed a change to his body. He felt his strength drain as the energy he had devoured earlier came into use. Bone and muscle and sinew compiled onto one another forming into the limb like flowing water does into a pitcher. Assassin flexed his new arm, playing with the fingers to make sure the tendons had attached properly. It would do no good to have a limb and not be able to use it after all. He watched silently from the shadows as his prey approached. Step by step, they came closer and closer to their doom. Step by step by step. The blonde Servant suddenly snapped to attention, her eyes boring into the shadows where Assassin had concealed himself. Now, would she take the bait?

No. She didn't shove her Master into the Temple and away from him – but directly towards the old mage that was Assassin's link to this world. Instead, she pushed herself in front of him and barked out "Run Shirou!"

Assassin sprang into movement. Grasping the blades between his fingers, Assassin pulled out half a dozen Darks and threw them directly at the Master, each one a bullet aimed at a single vital point.

Left eye.

Right eye.

Heart.

Liver.

Left kidney.

Right kidney.

Sparks danced off the invisible blade as the blonde haired Servant deflected each one in a whirlwind of violence and beautiful movement. She was elegant in her movements, no wasted motion or cocky self-assurance, unlike the last Servant he'd done his dance of blades with. However, she was a millisecond slower. Assassin could work with that. He launched another flight of daggers, this time aimed at her as she dodged to cover her Master's body.  
This time, he drew blood. Assassin saw one of his darks slice across her cheek as she deflected the rest, stepping back and preparing for the next storm of knives. She was a millisecond too late. She had no time to block these. This time, he'd puncture her lung-

"INVISIBLE AIR!"

Assassin let loose the knives just a hair too early. It saved his life. The massive gust of wind, a hammer of the Wind King smashed into the temple as well as him. While Assassin was unharmed from the wind, he came face to face with twenty of his own daggers he'd thrown just before it hit. One embedded itself just a nanometer away from piercing his heart. He coughed up blood, more of the ripped fabric falling from his form. Assassin roared in pain, daggers jutting from his chest and head, and let loose another hail of steel, at the woman with the golden sword, who had caused him pain, who he would violate and eat and suck the marrow from her bones as he laughed and she screamed-  
This time, Saber was ready, but Assassin's plan performed beautifully. Three Darks cascaded off of Saber's glowing blade as she deflected them, and embedded themselves into the back of her Master.

"SHIR-"

The King of Knights scream was cut short as another half a dozen blades, plucked from Assassin's toxic flesh dug into her back. She dropped to the ground silently, her eyes glazing over in pain and as the venom took hold.

The boy was somehow still alive and stumbling up, he began to drag Saber away from the Temple, an expression of horror on his face. Assassin jumped most of the distance to them, claws forming on arms extended towards his prey, legs that now sported razor sharp talons, his skull cracking and shifting, growing a mouth full of teeth like obsidian shards. Without warning, something tore into Assassin's throat and with a yank, he came crashing back to earth. He saw stars for a second, and the boy hefted his Servant over his shoulder and started running. Assassin spun towards whoever had interrupted his meal. The Servant was slightly shorter than him, long lavender hair flowing past her waist and dressed in black. She wore some kind of covering over her eyes, and held a spike attached to a chain. That explained how she had pulled him back. She twirled the spike around in her off hand as Assassin gathered the remains of his cloak around himself, concealing the last of his supply of daggers.

"It's bad m-m-manners to interrupt another's meal."

Assassin launched the last ten Darks in his arsenal, expecting her to use the chain to block them. She simply fluidly dodged around every single one instead.

She said nothing, instead just continuing to spin the spike with a slight smirk on her face. Then, like a snake, she struck. The chain whipped forward, and snapped taut as she stepped on the end. Assassin twisted backwards, dodging the end just as it whistled past his teeth. Like a flash, she was on him. She stabbed him again in the chest a second time, before leaping pack and pulling the chain taut, obviously planning to swing him into the ground like a flail. Assassin wasn't about to let that happen. He yanked back on the chain with a monstrous strength. The other Servant flew towards him, caught off guard, and he sliced out with one of his arms at her, the claws seemingly sharp enough to cut through the fabric of space above. She twisted around it with a snake like agility, before kicking Assassin off the spike with a strength nearly equal to his own. He went flying again, this time into the heavy doors of the Temple, breaking them open. He saw stars, both above him and in his lidless eyes.

Just as quickly as she appeared, she faded away again into the night. His master walked out of the broken double doors, his cane tapping against the hardwood floors as if in irritation.

"So. My useless Grandson finally shows some initiative. First most of my familiars and now this. Is he trying to prove to me that he should be the heir?"  
Zouken let loose a watery chuckle.

"If so, he chose the worst time I could think of." The old Magus prodded Assassin with the tip of his cane. "Get up. I see the Emiya boy escaped."

"Shall I p-p-pursue him Master? He can't have gotten far." Assassin said, pulling himself up and shifting back into his human form, pulling the bone white mask back over his blank face.

"No. We have done enough for one night. You are in no shape to go head to head with the King of Knights right now in any case."

Zouken walked towards the steps, Assassin limping behind him.

"I fear I may have to accelerate my plans as soon as you recover. I won't tolerate failure a second time, Assassin."

"Of c-c-c-course not Master. I never tolerated it either."


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: Haha, finally done with this chapter. Enjoy._**

* * *

Kiritsugu sipped at his morning coffee. Last night had been a disaster. Saber came home almost dead, and Shirou barely better off. It had taken most of the night just to get the two patched up. He'd focused on Saber, Sakura taking care Shirou's' injuries.

Saber's situation was much worse than Shirou's had been. High fever. Signs of infection. Deep puncture wounds, through her armor no less. That had taken some serious force. He'd dragged a bed out into the living room just so he wouldn't have to move her, and risk opening the tentatively bandaged wounds. Her healing ability was strong, but it needed some assistance this time around. Another snag in his plans.

The house was quiet this early in the morning. Saber was still sleeping, Sakura wasn't up yet, though she would be in another ten minutes or so, and neither was Shirou, but considering his injuries last night, that was to be expected. Kiritsugu was alone, with only the first light of morning to keep him company. Part of him just wanted to rush out into the dark with nothing but his Contender and keep moving until either he or Zouken was dead on the floor. The more rational part was weighing his options at this point.

Zouken's hand was probably pretty much played at this point, but Kiritsugu still had a few aces in his sleeves. Archer would likely ally again with him if it came to that, and since he didn't know the Servants abilities, then Zouken assuredly didn't know them either. And perhaps, just perhaps he might get Ilya to help Shirou in the future. Now THAT would put quite a damper on any plan Zouken might have. Kiritsugu snapped his fingers suddenly, flash of memory coming back.

The low tech cruise missile. Essentially a tanker truck rigged with explosives and napalm and controlled remotely, he'd never gotten a chance to use it in the last war. In this one however, it was more than just a viable option: it was tantamount to his ace in the hole. He doubted any sort of magical defense would stand against the massive heat and shrapnel or for that matter the sheer force of the explosion. He'd put it into storage after the war, with Raiga no less, a bit of sentimentality and practicality. After all, why not keep a perfectly good weapon of mass destruction around. Just in case. It wasn't like he was a paranoid mass murderer after all.

Mass murder implied randomness, not cold calculated destruction.

He heard Sakura come in first, her footsteps coming from the side building as he gazed at the sunrise.

"Good morning," she yawned, stepping past him and into the kitchen. "I'm thinking of making miso soup."

"That would be great. Could you make extra for Saber?"

"No problem. Is Sempai up yet?"

"No." Kiritsugu sipped at his coffee. "Just let him get some rest. Same with Saber. He'll be up in time."

He watched as Sakura prepared the soup, her movements somewhat more clumsy than usual.  
_  
It seems that everyone was shaken up by last night._

-

It was about twenty or so minutes later when Shirou walked into the living room. Saber had gotten up a couple of minutes beforehand, and was sitting at the table. She looked like hell, though she had changed out of her bloodstained blouse.

"Shirou," she said, her voice full of authority, and impressively not a hint of pain. "I shall accompany you and Sakura to your school today."  
Kiritsugu nearly choked on his coffee, but kept his silence.

"Whaaa…" Shirou blinked the sleep from his eyes as fast as he could. Sakura nearly dropped the ladle she was holding.

"I wish for nothing like last night to happen again. And as such, I must stay close to you."

"Ummm…."

"I'll need to clear this with Fuji." Kiritsugu said, getting up and heading to the kitchen. "How's the soup coming?"

"What… oh. Almost ready." Sakura looked slightly flushed. He frowned, and picked up the headset, dialing the number as he headed out to the walkway.

She picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi Fuji. I'm wondering if you could do me a favor really quick."

Kiritsugu heard some noise in the back ground. "Wait. Wait. Wait. Need to get something."

"Fuji, is everything alright?" There was a sound suspiciously like a fire extinguisher.

"Yes! It's not like I accidentally set my soup on fire in the microwave or anything!"

"That's an oddly specific denial there, Fuji."

"No it isn't! It's perfectly normal conversation!"

"…Do you want me to tell Shirou to make a lunch for you?"

There was a pause. "Maybe…"

"I will. I was wondering if you'd be alright with Saber coming to school today."

"That would be great! I'll show her around, introduce her to a couple of people… She'd get a lunch as well right?"

"I'd assume so."

"Then she certainly can come."

"Alright then. I'll tell her its okay. Are you coming over for dinner tonight?."

Taiga sighed. "No. I'm still pretty busy Kiritsugu. Probably tomorrow night though."

"Sorry to bother you. See you Fuji." He heard a thump from the kitchen as he hung up the phone, and rushed back in. Sakura was on the ground, Shirou  
already running to her side while Saber watched, concern washing through her features.

"What happened?"

Shirou helped Sakura to her feet. She leaned heavily against him, panting. Kiritsugu noticed she was drenched with sweat. Her eyes seemed distant, and almost clouded over.

"I'm fine…" Sakura tried to push Shirou away, but he clung closer to her.

"No. You're obviously not." Kiritsugu said. "Shirou, get her into bed, Saber, get her out of those clothes. I'll call the school."

Everyone burst into motion, and despite Sakura protesting that nothing was wrong and she could walk and that she had to go to school, Shirou swept her off her feet and carried her bridal style into her room, Saber in tow. Kiritsugu made a quick call to the school, telling them that Sakura wouldn't be attending due to illness today. The day was looking to be a long and stressful one for him. Very very long.

-

For Kiritsugu, the day passed by in a blur. Sakura began to recover around noon, and by three, was up and about like nothing had happened. His body had been fighting against him though, and he'd had a spasm, nearly as bad as the one two days ago. Luckily, Sakura hadn't seen it.

"Sempai's late." Sakura said.

Kiritsugu nodded. "Probably helping Issei out with something. No need to worry." More likely, Rin was probably tutoring him in the ways of magic, like he'd convinced her to do. The clock ticked loudly in the background, as the two at the table silently waited for the pair that had left earlier to come home. An alarm bell went off in Kiritsugu's head as the barrier field was breached, and he rushed for the front door, and towards the Glock he'd concealed in the wall for just such an occasion. He was too late.

Shinji Matou was there before him, knife in hand, while a lavender haired Servant in a tight fitting black outfit stood behind him. Fire ran through Kiritsugu's guts as cold steel pierced his abdomen, Shinji stabbing forward with the knife before he could react. Dark red blood stained his shirt, and a spasm wracked his body.  
_  
No no no no no no no no no no not now-_

His vision started to waver. Clutching his side, he collapsed against the wall. Kiritsugu heard Shinji talking, something about harming Shirou, but he was in too much pain to truly listen in.  
_  
Got to move got to get the gun kill Shinji bandage myself up kill Shiji protect Sakura protect Shirou kill Shinji-_

Kiritsugu's body fought against him, his limbs heavy and pain coursing up and down his spine. It was all he could do not to move. He saw three figures leave from the house, the lavender haired Servant carrying Sakura out the door. The spasms started to fade, and Kiritsugu smashed his elbow into the side wall again and again, ignoring the pain. The drywall panel concealing the gun eventually broke, and he pulled the Glock 17 out and set it down on the floor.  
Stumbling to his feet and leaving a trail of blood, he grabbed a dish towel and tore it with his teeth before making an impromptu bandage. The pain was still intense, but he could deal with it. Kiritsugu pulled on his coat, and clutched the Glock in his right hand while his left held the bandage in place. He needed to kill the bastard, if he could find him.  
_  
If I were attempting to provoke a fight with Shirou, where would I run to?_

The park was too open. Someone might see. Same for the shopping district, and most other places in town. It also needed to be somewhat accessible. That left two possibilities – the Matou manor and the school. Kiritsugu quickly ruled out the manor. Zouken wouldn't risk its destruction, so there was no way in hell Shinji would be there. That left the school. He quickly scribbled out a note and slapped it on the door – Shinji has Sakura, at School; Going to kill him, if you want to stop me, run – before limping off in the direction of the building.

Luckily, the streets were empty; no one noticed his gun as he walked towards what would likely be his death. Of course, it would be worth it if Shinji died as well. He should have killed him yesterday. He'd been too soft. Kiritsugu stumbled as he walked down the hill, and cursed as the bandage loosened. More wasted time. He wouldn't bleed out just yet, but he'd lost enough blood already. He'd need a hospital or some magical healing after this if he lived. At the very least, Shinji didn't hit any arteries – he'd have been dead in a minute if that were the case. He continued walking, increasing his pace to the point he was nearly running. He had to get there before Shinji could fortify. And god help whoever got in his way.

-

Rin looked at the note with a mix of incredulity and grudging admiration as Shirou, Saber, and her ran towards the school. Saber had a stony look on her face, girding herself for war, her hands preparing to grasp the hilt of her blade. Shirou had an equally grim look, and radiated anger. Archer remained in his spirit form, but she could sense a slight amount of amusement coming from him.

How the hell can you find this funny?

He's deliberately put out an ultimatum for you and Shirou, and one you'll want to keep. You can't have your sister in danger now, can you? And of course, Shirou doesn't want anyone to die if he can help it.

How did-

Rin. I can sense your thoughts somewhat, and I'm not an idiot. I knew several days ago. It was part of the reason I helped Kiritsugu out when he raided the Matou house yesterday.

WHAT!?

Rin could feel Archers laughter through the mental link. We were trying to take Zouken out of the picture early on before he had a chance to strike again. Didn't work out. Kiritsugu did punch Shinji hard enough to knock him out and torch the Matou's "training room" though.

You idiots.

I love you too honey.

Rin suddenly felt the urge to punch Archer really, really hard. So, who is Shinji trying to get revenge on with this then? Shirou, Kiritsugu, me?

All three is my bet. He's probably not leaving the school alive though. He won't be a pretty sight after what Kiritsugu will do to him.

-

Archer sped ahead of the group, taking advantage of his spiritual form to cover the distance to the school in under a minute. Kiritsugu was clutching his side as he shoved his way into the main building, and Archer followed, phasing through the door.

Rin. I'm watching Kiritsugu right now. Just entered the man building. No sign of Shinji.

I think we're about five minutes away. Keep it up.  
Archer's adoptive father headed up the stairs as quietly as he could, training his gun one handed in a classic sweep while keeping his hand pressed to his side. He'd been injured, somehow. It explained how Shinji had gotten Sakura and brought her here. Archer headed up the stairs at the opposite side. He could sense a servant on the second year floor, and it would make sense to flank Shinji so at least someone would be able to have a somewhat clean shot at him. Archer was one hundred percent sure he wouldn't miss. The only factor would be the Servant Shinji possessed.

He came up behind the hostage and hostage taker, but stopped as the Servant gazed at him with her blindfolded eyes during a quick glance. She gave a slight smirk before turning to the sound of Kiritsugu's footsteps.

"What is it Rider?" Shinji snapped, bringing the blade closer to Sakura's throat.

"Nothing Master. Nothing at all."

The former Master came up the stairs in a huff, obviously in serious pain, but still clutching his pistol tightly in his hand, and training it on Shinji.  
"Found you, you son of a bitch." Kiritsugu panted, taking his hand from his side and adopting the Weaver stance, shifting his legs to brace himself for firing. "Let her go before I shoot you in your fucking head."

"Not a chance. You forget Archer in your rush, Kiritsugu?" Shinji said. Rider stepped forward, putting herself into Kiritsugu's line of fire.

"I told him to stay home. I don't need him to put you down like a sick dog. Let her go and you walk away alive."

"How about I have Rider just kill you right now? Or should I wait for Shirou to get here, and kill you both?"  
_  
Or, I can just blow your head off._

Archer materialized, bow drawn, arrow knocked and ready to fire. Rider vaulted over Shinji's head as he released the arrow, and she knocked it aside with a swinging chain before striking out at Archer with the spike at the end. He projected Kanshou and Bakuya and entered that glorious dance of sharpened steel and blood he had grudgingly mastered.

-

Kiritsugu cursed as Archer began dueling with Rider, leveling the pistol on Shinji. He was using Sakura as a human shield, and he had no clear shot. To attempt to shoot Shinji in the head might hit Sakura as well. It was too risky. And as the seconds ticked by, he lost more and more blood. Already, his vision was starting to go dark at the edges and it was getting harder to keep the Glock steady. He didn't know how long it would take for him to lose consciousness. But if Archer had found him...

"What's the problem old man? I thought you were going to shoot me?" Shinji smirked as the battle behind him started moving into a different section of the level.

Kiritsugu smirked right back. "Waste of a good bullet. Besides, I want you alive. Dead people have a problem with talking."

He heard footsteps behind him coming up the stairs. Rin, and with her likely Shirou and Saber.

"About time Rin."

"…Dad?"

"...You did bring Rin right?"

"She's with Saber, going after Archer and Rider."

Kiritsugu sighed.

_Of course._

"Oh look Sakura! He came after all." Shinji's smile grew even more twisted. "How about you tell him this situation could have just been avoided if he'd kept his hands off what was mine?"

Sakura just continued staring at the floor, like she'd done the entire time Kiritsugu had been aiming his pistol at Shinji.

"I told her everything you know. Everything you kept secret from her." Shinji was rambling now, gesticulating violently with the knife, and stepping back towards where Rider and Archer had fled. The sound of steel against steel could be heard from behind him as the battle again moved closer to them once more. Kiritsugu stepped forward, gun still trained on Shinji as Shirou began to start to edge closer and closer to the hostage and hostage taker.

"Let her go Shinji." Shirou picked up his pace, approaching ever nearer to Sakura, his eyes on the knife. He was within a distance where he could reasonably expect to make a grab for it. Kiritsugu knew it was now or never. He pointed his pistol at the ceiling, and fired.

The noise was deafening in the confined space, especially to anyone who had never been around gunfire before. It echoed around as Shinji cringed slightly, and Shirou made his move. He grabbed Shinji's knife arm by the wrist, wrenching it away from Sakura. Kiritsugu could hear the bones snap as Shirou clamped down, obviously reinforcing his muscles and bones to accomplish the feat. Shinji screamed and dropped the knife, letting go of Sakura as he threw a punch at Shirou's head. She scurried away and pressed herself flat against the wall, as Shirou intercepted the punch with his free hand and threw Shinji to the ground. Kiritsugu ran forward as Shinji attempted to get up, slamming into him with his shoulder and knocking him again to the ground. Kiritsugu grabbed Shinji by the scruff of the neck, smashing his face into the ground before pressing the Glock against the back of his head.

"Don't move. I'd rather not need to put nine millimeters of lead into your skull."

_Wanting to do so is a different matter entirely._

Rider crashed into the hallway, bleeding heavily from her abdomen. Kiritsugu looked up to see Archer standing about ten meters away, his twin swords dripping blood, and some of the sanguine fluid covering his boots. Saber stood a meter behind him, blade held in a ready stance next to Rin.  
"Rider! Kill him you useless bitch!" Shinji shouted. Kiritsugu smashed his face into the floor again. Rider struggled to her feet, and again adopted a fighting stance. It was more than obvious that she wouldn't survive another pass with Archer. Kiritsugu's vision started fuzzing up, and he noticed that his side was wet. The bandage must have slipped off somehow.

"Call her off Shinji. Now." Kiritsugu noticed how distant his voice seemed.

"What?"

"Use your command spells. All of them."

"Why?"

"Shut up and do it, or die. Your choice."

Shinji gulped, and was about to speak, when he yelped. Kiritsugu smelled burnt hair and paper. Rider's wounds suddenly meshed together, flesh and organs repairing themselves within seconds. Kiritsugu smashed Shinji's face into the floor a third time.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO? YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS! FOUR! THREE! TW-"

A sudden kick from Rider knocked Kiritsugu off of Shinji and into the wall. He felt several ribs crack, and the Glock skittered away down the hall towards Rin. He crawled as fast as he could towards it, as Shinji pulled himself to his feet. Rin stepped forward and kicked the gun back to Kiritsugu, who grabbed it and pressed himself against the wall to remain upright. His gun wavered, as Kiritsugu could barely keep it on target.

"It's over Shinji." Rin said, extending her hand outwards. A slight glow could be seen under her sleeve. "Give up and go home. The true Matou Master has reclaimed her place."  
_  
What-_

Kiritsugu tore his gaze from Shinji for a second, looking towards where Rider currently was. She stood between Sakura and everyone else, covering Sakura with her body while the girl stared at the floor. She seemed on the verge of tears. Shirou stood a couple paces away, unsure whether or not to approach.  
Shinji seemed on the other hand, at the edge of madness. "The true Master?" he giggled, his eyes bloodshot. "Who didn't want to fight because of him!" He pointed at Shirou. "I'm the Matou's Master. I'm the one who fought. I'm the one who controlled Rider! I AM!" His finger shifted to Sakura. "And this little WHORE is not going to ever disobey me. Kill them."

Sakura didn't move. Her faint response floated over, through the roaring in Kiritsugu's ears as the darkness encroached on his vision and mind. "No."

"Then die." Shinji snapped his fingers. Hell broke loose. Something on Sakura shattered – Kiritsugu couldn't tell what – and she began screaming bloody murder, convulsing. Archer and Saber charged forwards, grabbing Shirou and pulling him back before he could make a grab for Sakura, and be killed by the whirling chain Rider wielded as she stepped forward to protect her master. Shinji began running. Kiritsugu fired again. The world turned red, and then black. He knew nothing more.

-

Kiritsugu groaned, opening his eyes. A white plaster ceiling greeted them, no light playing through the . He was lying on a hard wooden bench. Shirou was looking over him, Rin close by. Archer leaned against the wall nonchalantly, one eye closed and the other opened as if in some weird form of meditation. Or perhaps he was just relaxing.

"How do you feel?" Shirou asked. He looked a little worse for wear, and his shirt had a hole and a bloodstain on it, but otherwise seemed fine.

"Like shit." Kiritsugu said, shifting himself into a sitting position. "What happened?"

Shirou opened his mouth, but Rin interrupted him before he could speak. "The barrier field Shinji set up over the school activated. You fainted from blood loss and prana depletion. We got lucky, nobody died."

"Where's Sakura?"

"With Kotomine. She's in bad shape. Some sort of poison was dumped into her system by Shinji," Shirou said. He rocked back and forth on the pew, anxiety getting the better of him at last. Something he said though, started ringing alarm bells in Kiritsugu's head.

"Did you say Kotomine?"

"Yeah, Kirei Kotomine. Why-"

"Where's my gun?"

"Wha-"

"My gun. _Where is it._"

"He took it. Said he had somewhere in the back to store it."

Kiritsugu slumped himself against the pew. It was hard to see how this day could get any worse. Last he remembered, Kirei was dead, a .30-06 round at point blank range to the heart in the hellhole that had been ground zero of the last Grail War's fiery end. Apparently, it was only a flesh wound. Or perhaps the Grail had decided that his wish to live was worth granting for some reason. Either way, Kiritsugu felt like he'd stepped into the lion's den here.

"He's the supervisor isn't he?"

"The fake priest? Obviously. His father was the supervisor in the last war, and he was in it as well," Rin said.

"I know. I thought he died. Guess he survived after all."

"He seemed almost happy when he saw the shape you were in when we dragged you inside. I'd healed you by then of course, but he still seemed over joyed."

Odd really. Kiritsugu filed this fact away for later reference as the false priest walked out of the back. Kirei Kotomine was tall, nearly freakishly so for a Japanese man. Kiritsugu noticed he'd grown his hair out, and had taken to wearing a long coat to cover his normal black clothing. His eyes however, contained a malicious sparkle they had lacked the last time the pair met.

"I see everyone is awake, at last. Try to keep it down please. I'm done operating, but she is still in a critical condition."

"Kotomine how is -?" Rin and Shirou were cut off by an upraised palm from the Executor.

"Stay seated. I'll explain. Simply put, she has a parasite in her, magical in nature. A Crest Worm if you want to be specific."  
Kiritsugu's mind flashed back to the basement full of Zouken's familiars. He gripped his knees tightly to keep his fists from clenching.

"It's a familiar that lives off of its hosts magical energy, and usually things of that nature are almost harmless, used to tell if a person is alive or dead." Kotomine continued, "But in Sakura's case, this is not harmless, and used for a different purpose. By my rough estimation, they have been assimilating and replacing her nerves for eleven years at the most, forming into a Magic Crest. Kiritsugu and Rin, you do not need to be told how painful that would be. However luckily for her, it is not active all the time. If it were, she would be dead in half a day."

"How?" Shirou blurted out, and was about to rise from his seat when Kiritsugu put a hand on his shoulder.

"Listen."

"How? When active, it would move throughout her nerves obviously, and drain as much energy as it could from her. That is what happened earlier. The pain from this would be immense, obviously." Kirei said. Kiritsugu noticed a slight, nearly unnoticeable smile forming at the edges of Kirei's mouth. "And as such, I feel the Crest Worm is activated only to punish its host."

"And in this case, I'm guessing the punishment was for refusing to fight for Zouken." Kiritsugu finished. "Get to the point."

"The point is – as long as this Crest Worm is in her, she's in danger. Which is why I'm already preparing for surgery to remove it. Mainly to spite Zouken. Gaining control of another master like this is something as a supervisor, I feel I need to prevent."

Kiritsugu could tell that that last bit was utter lies, but couldn't stop breathing out a sigh of relief. Kirei smiled at the shocked expression on Rin's face.

"Out then. All of you. I need to return to work."

Rin obeyed the priest grudgingly, Archer following her out of the church Kiritsugu followed as well, glancing back at Shirou as his son remained seated, Kirei glancing at the door.  
_  
He hasn't hurt Shirou yet. He's had opportunity. Ten years can do a lot to a person. Though I doubt he's a saint._

It was only a minute later before Shirou stormed out of the church and into the plaza. Kiritsugu waited by the door, before slipping back inside. Kirei was waiting.

"Quickly. I need to start the surgery soon."

"My gun?"

"Ah. Yes." Kirei stuck a hand inside his coat, pulling out the Glock. He presented it, hilt first, to Kiritsugu.

"And one other thing; How did you survive?"

"God watches over his flock, Kiritsugu Emiya. God watches over his flock."

Kiritsugu knew he would get no more an answer than that, and left the grinning priest to his work.

-

It took Kiritsugu a while to find Shirou again. He was by a playground, sitting on a park bench, his head in his hands as he stared down. Kiritsugu took a seat next to him.

"What's on your mind? Sakura?"

"Yeah."

The silence enveloped them for a while before Shirou broke it again.

"Kirei told me some things. How even after the surgery, she's still likely to need to kill someone to fuel Rider due to the worms. How she's well… she's been hurt. In a lot of ways. And _I don't know what to do!_" Shirou smashed his fist into the bench.

"Do you love her?"

"What?"

"Do you love her Shirou?" Kiritsugu asked. Shirou looked up at him.

"I do."

"Shirou. Don't repeat my mistakes. I hide it quite well, but I'm an empty shell because of them." He smiled painfully. "Don't lose her. Not like I lost Iri. I'll stand by you, whatever you choose, but listen to me here. Don't let her go. _Don't ever, let her go_. You'll regret it the rest of your life."

Shirou said nothing. Silence surrounded the pair again, before Kiritsugu got up and began walking back to the church. He could have sworn he saw a flash of purple and white out of the corner of his eye as he started up the hill.

Rin was waiting in front of the Church with Saber.

"Is Shirou alright?" Saber asked. She'd dissipated her armor, and for all the world looked like a girl concerned about a close friend rather than a Servant over her Master.

"About as well as can be. I'll leave it at that."

They waited in silence for the next twenty minutes, before the door opened. Rain was beginning to come down, and Shirou was coming up the hill. The moment of truth had come. Kotomine seemed to relish the tension in the air, as everyone took a seat inside, except for Saber, who had decided to remain outside again.

"The operation," He finally stated, "Was a success."

Shirou slumped back in his seat in relief.

"However –" the priest continued, "I wasn't able to remove the worm fully bonded with her nerves. She's still in danger from Zouken driving her mad with pain and forcing her to fight. But otherwise, she's perfectly able to live a normal life."

Rin spoke up next. "I have to do something about Sakura. She's a danger to herself and others. It's the duty of the second owner after all."

"No." Shirou said, grabbing her arm as she rose. "I'm not letting you do this."

She pulled it away from him. "It's necessary. Zouken will force her to fight, and it will kill her from strain. It's an act of mercy to do it now."

"I agree with Shirou. We have another option," Kiritsugu said. "We can kill Zouken."

"If we try, he'll use Sakura as a shield. I can do it now, quick and painless she-"

The sound of a window breaking in the back interrupted Rin. "What-"

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Kirei said, his smile growing wide as he looked on. "She's awake. And there's a structural defect with the church – you can hear everything inside the chapel from the room she's in. It slipped my mind. My sincerest apologies."

As the trio scrambled out of the church and after Sakura, Kiritsugu felt a grudging admiration for his old enemy. That had been well played.

-

It was raining. It was cold, it was wet, it was miserable. Her sister was out in this. No no no no no, she couldn't refer to her as her sister tonight or ever. Rin had to forget her. She had to let her die. She had to harden her heart, and let her die. She heard footsteps behind her, and looked behind her. Kiritsugu was there.

"You don't have to do this you know."

"I do. It's my duty." The rain hid her tears. "I have to. Or else she'll-"

"She'll live. Trust me. Things will turn out alright. No one has to die tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"If you don't stop, I'll stop you. Give it up Rin. Sacrificing your flesh and blood isn't worth it."

"Who –"

"Archer. He's the one who led me here."

"That stupid idiot."

_I love you too sweety_.

"Just let it go tonight Rin. The War will be over by the end of this week. I can promise you that. And none of you, not Shirou, not Sakura, not you, will die, not while I'm alive. We can do this Rin."

"You sound so confident."

Kiritsugu shrugged. "Only about the first one."

_You'll note he failed to mention that he won't die. Or Saber or I._ Archer 'said.'

_Does that even matter?_

"You've thought about her like that before. Just keep doing it from now on."

He turned his back on her and started walking in the direction of the Emiya manor.

"Oh, and go home. You look soaked to the bone. I can't have you dying on me of a cold of all things."

The rain pelted down, and Kiritsugu melted into it, leaving Rin alone with her own conflicting thoughts.

-

The sun was beginning to set as Shinji Matou dragged himself inside of the Matou manor. The bullet had grazed him, and though the bleeding had stopped earlier, it still hurt like hell. His face was an utter mess, and he'd nearly blacked out a couple of times on the way home. A cane came down on the floor in front of him, and Shinji looked up into the face of his Grandfather.

"You failed, and you lost her."

"It wasn't my fault, if he'd just laid down and died, and that Tohsaka bitch had stayed out-"

"You still failed."

Shinji could sense that his Grandfather was considering something, though for good or ill he couldn't tell.

"There is a way that you could make up for your uselessness, I suppose."

"Anything Grandfather. Anything you ask." Shinji prostrated himself in front of him.

A wry chuckle escaped the old man's mouth. "You won't enjoy it. Assassin, take him to the room. We'll leave him in overnight, and if he lives… Well, he'll be useful somehow."

Shinji's eyes widened in sudden comprehending horror as the black servant dragged him to his fate. He screamed as the worms started burrowing their way into his body as he was thrown into the pit, his grandfathers mocking laughter ringing in his ears.


End file.
